My Experience with co-owning a Racehorse - RL Dynasty

[Senator]

His name is GoldandSilver, a 3 year old, whose grandfather is Seattle Slew. Some friends and I purchased him as a yearling. He will not run for the triple crown. But, he will run. Details coming up, but the video below is from his race last night at Sam Houston in Houston.

#4

<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/37945771?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/37945771"></a></p>

[chesapeake]

It comes out a little fuzzy on my screen, but that sure looks like an incredible stretch run from your horse.

What's the full pedigree?

[Senator]

http://www.registry.jockeyclub.com/Free-5X-Pedigree.cfm?page_state=GENERATE&reference_number=8717507&registry=T&horse_name=&dam_name=&foaling_year=&NICKING_STATS_INDICATOR=Y&sire_reference_number=0&dam_reference_number=0&color=&sex=&hypo_foaling_year=&breeder=

[Senator]

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7052/6811630688_aa01a369af_b.jpg

[PilotMan]

http://www.registry.jockeyclub.com/Free-5X-Pedigree.cfm?page_state=GENERATE&reference_number=8717507&registry=T&horse_name=&dam_name=&foaling_year=&NICKING_STATS_INDICATOR=Y&sire_reference_number=0&dam_reference_number=0&color=&sex=&hypo_foaling_year=&breeder=


I only understand about half of that but it's still awesome. Nice race.

[QuikSand]

Keep us posted, interesting stuff.

[QuikSand]

Don't see many 4x4 crosses to POKER. Despite thin dam line, the bloodlines look okay here, and I'm a total mark for Silver Charm.

[PurdueBrad]

Awesome Senator, the wife and I have often thought about joining in with some friends to buy a horse. Looking forward to this, big time!

[Senator]

This experience really began in October of 2009. No, that is not correct. It really began in my childhood. While I struggled to find common ground with my father, one thing we always could discuss without much disagreement was horse racing. I knew my father loved it, and so I began to love it as well. We spent every vacation of my life in one place. Cloudcroft, New Mexico. Here, when he was young and I was younger, he purchased 2 lots and began building his dream cabin getaway.

Every summer for two weeks, we would drive a pickup loaded with lumber and head west, to the mountains of New Mexico. There were five of us in my family. Besides my father, mother, there was myself and younger sister and brother. Because I was the oldest, I was the prime free labor force.
The first week consisted of hauling the lumber up the side of the mountain. Sheet by sheet, board by board. Looking back, I don’t know how I did it 10 hours a day at 6,7,8,9 years old. And I don’t remember much of the drudgery. But, my mom does. She used to cry for me, but I tell her I am the better man for it. But, on Saturday, we would head to Ruidoso Downs and watch the races.

We received the Quarter horse magazine, and I had, for reasons I don’t even know, in the middle of the night before leaving for the trip, copied all the unraced two year old speed indexes into a spiral notebook. Our uncle and his family met us at the track, and when he and my father were going over betting strategies, I mentioned, while looking at my spiral, that one of the horses in the upcoming race had the fastest speed index of any of the others listed. I can still remember the face of my uncle. It was like an alien landed in the chair next to him. How could this tow headed, useless kid know that? It was the first time I remember seeing real pride in my father’s eyes, and I remember feeling like the king of the world. The horse lost, but I was onto something. This was my avenue into their world, so I studied harder.

[Senator]

As the years went by, and I grew older and left for school, I made sure I was home or on the phone with my father during the Triple Crown races. It was a tradition we always held, no matter the situation. It was our common bond, and it always felt good to talk to him about his picks.

So, I go back to the start of this thread. October 22, 2009 I was headed to coach football practice, and my cell phone rang. My father was calling to tell me some bad news. He had been diagnosed with leukemia and was given 9 months to live without a transplant. I couldn’t believe it. Only a few months earlier, he had come to my house to watch the Kentucky Derby and to celebrate his retirement. 65 years old and finally free from the daily grind. It was a happy day.

It was then that I plotted an idea that I had had for a long time. I wanted to give him hope, and to fight the disease. I talked it over with my wife, and she graciously stamped off on my plan to purchase my dad a share in a racehorse. I talked this over with a co-worker who I thought might be interested, and he agreed. Then, I began to investigate what was possible to do this.

[Senator]

In January of 2010, my dad found a donor for his bone barrow transplant, his brother. Secondarily, the 500,000 dollar procedure would be covered by his insurance and supplemental insurance. We all breathed a sigh of relief, while I continued looking for the right horse to present him.

In March, he began to fall ill, and progressively got worse. They told us he had host vs. graft disease and would need to come back to the hospital for treatment. In mid-April he entered the Sammons Cancer Center in Dallas, Texas. Even the same floor Mickey Mantle had been. It’s important to know my dad was built internally and externally like John Wayne. They gave me dire predictions about days he had left, but he kept hanging on in a slow gradual decline that was difficult to watch, and I can only imagine the pain and exhaustion he had in those months.

In August, a contact notified me he believed he found a horse to co-purchase. It was an unraced thoroughbred named GoldandSilver, and was being broke by a well known trainer named Danny Pish. A racing club that had horses all over the United States owned him, and it was possible to purchase a large share in him because he had not yet raced. I saw that his bloodline included Seattle Slew and Silver Charm, two of my dad’s favorite horses of all-time, so we pulled the trigger and grabbed him.

[Senator]

I wish I could tell you dad understood when I told him about it, but I know he didn’t. And my head knew he wasn’t getting out of there, but my heart was telling me to keep doing what he could for him, and his toughness would overcome this somehow, someway. By buying the horse, I was buying hope, and with every bill that came in, I felt like it would be worth it if my father could see him run one time.

On Thursday, August 26, 2010 at 9:18am, I received a phone call from the hospital telling me that my father was in a coma from developing pneumonia and would be gone by the evening. After arriving at the hospital and confirming the doctor’s analysis, I began my phone calls. I did not call my brother, who was coaching his first game of the football season the next night. He was in Houston, and there was nothing he could do.

My dad lasted through Thursday, and Thursday night. Friday morning came, and he lasted. Friday night came and he lasted. My brother called at 10pm to tell me the team won. I had to tell him to come home. He arrived at 5am on Saturday morning. Dad lasted until 7:45am Monday morning, August 31, 2010. The doctors had stopped speculating because he kept outlasting them. He was 66 years old.

[Senator]

The horse continued to progress through the winter and the following spring. Time was spent getting back to a world without a father. Without calling him in May when the Kentucky Derby ran. It was the first one I missed since I was born.

But in the fall, I get an email telling me that his trainer is ready for GoldandSilver to make his maiden race. It was set for September 17, 2010 at Retama Park in San Antonio. All I could think of was how excited my dad would have been.

[Senator]

GAS as a baby.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7180/6831382670_c6ce4514a7_b.jpg

[Senator]

GAS as a 1 yr old.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7042/6831382764_a4a9de030b_z.jpg

[Senator]

GAS' Daddy Gold Legend.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7180/6977510275_eaba1312da.jpg

[Senator]

And of course, his grand-daddy

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7043/6831395902_0c363e615c_z.jpg

[Senator]

Race #1

6th RACE. (C3) Post 8:59PM MAIDEN
PURSE $17,000 (Plus up to $1,360 from ATBOIA) 6 Furlongs
FOR MAIDENS, TWO YEARS OLD.
1 CAT SOUND IT R2 Eliott, R Chapa, I 117
2 CALYPSO CAT (L) R5 Wisdom, L Ruiz, E *112
3 KOOL SOLDIER (L) R4 Eoff, T Figueroa, J 117
4 E PLURIBUS UNUM (L1) P5 Haddock, D Valdez-Jiminez, E *112
5 KIT'S HALO (L1) 0 Willis, M Collier, J 117
6 DEAD CAT BOUNCE (L) P5 Elmegreen, D Contreras, A 117
7 ORIENT DANCER (L1) 0 Knox, M Puello, N 117
8 GOLDANDSILVER (L1) 0 Pish, D Taylor, L 117
9 BONFIRE ROMANCE (L) 0 Garza, J Mora, G *112
10 GENERAL COUNTDOWN (L) R5 Rivera, J Guerra, R *112

[Senator]

AND THE HORSES ARE IN THE GATE:

<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/38401274?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/38401274"></a></p>

[sterlingice]

Is this at the racetrack at Belt 8 and 249?

SI

[PilotMan]

Senator that's a touching story. It gives extra meaning to watching these races. Your horse looks like he has a pretty good last kick.

[BYU 14]

As PM said, very touching story. Looking forward to following this, you definitely have many compelling life stories to share.

[Senator]

After only a weeks rest, it was felt he could compete in the 100,000 dollar My Dandy Stakes race.

[Senator]

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5458/6928652858_550bc8e621_c.jpg

[MIJB#19]

(As a complete noob about horseracing)
Am I reading that right that GoldandSilver is a bit of a slow starter with a trong finish (at least in the above posted race recap)?

[Senator]

In all races. That is why the trainer thinks it might be a good idea to try him in the mile in the next race. I am against it, especially since we are headed to Oklahoma, and I am not sure how he will like the new track and longer distance. I am think 7-8 furlongs might be his range.

But, he raced well in the previous race against good competition and he should get better if we take care not to mess with him. That is why the mile for his 3rd race is a risky move.

[Senator]

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7066/6928681064_ed39af52a9_c.jpg

[PurdueBrad]

Hey Senator, I live in the land of OTBs and Simulcasts. When is Gold and Silver's next race? I would love to throw some symbolic support behind him by picking up a win ticket.

[Senator]

That was a complete disaster. GAS seems off and not to like either the state, the new track, and the new jockey.

I hope this does not mess with his confidence too much and we have just ruined this horse. We race him one week after his maiden start and win, in a 100k stakes race against stiff competition. The we ship him off to Oklahoma to run in a mile with a new jockey. I think we have managed him poorly, and I feel pretty about being talked into things.

[Senator]

Hey Senator, I live in the land of OTBs and Simulcasts. When is Gold and Silver's next race? I would love to throw some symbolic support behind him by picking up a win ticket.

I think in Lone Star in a few weeks. I am updating this thread now, and at the end of it will explain his upcoming race.

[Senator]

Still in Oklahoma for a November 11, 2011 race. This one is a 6 furlongs with the jockey I am not fond of. He suggests taking him out on the lead if he can get it, to see what he can do from the front.

[Senator]

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7243/6928681112_af97619290_c.jpg

[Senator]

Let's get the hell out of Oklahoma. Going to Houston for race #5. GAS form is in poor form and his confidence seems shattered. Boo on us. He is a closer, run him that way in the right distance before its too late.

[Poli]

Awesome!

[Senator]

We get the jockey we like in Larry Taylor, but the distance is too short. He will close but might not have enough room. Want to get him out of Claiming races as soon as possible, as I think he will get better, but they are the only choices right now.

Sam Houston Park in Houston, January 29, 2012.

[Senator]

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7078/7074760005_35e38b4032_b.jpg

[Senator]

Well, no shit. He went 4 wide at the top of the stretch, then came charging down the lane. Another 2 furlongs and we win this race. There should be no argument, no indecision, no confusion about where this horse should be slotted from this point on. 6 furlongs to 8 furlongs. PERIOD.

[Senator]

Sam Houston, February 17, 2012.

Six Furlongs on the dirt. Turns out his first muddy, sloppy, raining run.

Not much payout here, as we want to try and get some confidence into his form.

[Senator]

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7097/6928681226_7477ac86fb_c.jpg

[Senator]

A place ticket as GAS finally hits the board again. He was gaining hard again. Missed it by a stride taking the race. Feel good about the distance. Now, just get him some graduated competition in heavier races and find the sweet spot for the next 44 races of his career.

[Senator]

March 4, 2012

Last race in Houston for the season.

Field Goal, who beat GAS in the 100k stakes race in September of last year is the favorite. People still continually bet GAS as one of the favorites in every race. After one great maiden, decent second showing in the stakes race, and then 3 duds of the ownerships fault, he seems to be doing better in training. Tonight he is only going 5 1/2 furlongs. Too short again. But the purse is light, and the competition palatable. Plus last shot in Houston, which he has enjoyed.

[Senator]

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7185/7074760107_3e51cf6890_c.jpg

[Senator]

And so after 7 races, GAS sits at: in about 7 months of racing.

7-2-1-0

Earnings: $22,968

[Senator]

We initially had him entered into a race tonight at Lone Star, but it was a 10k claimer, and we felt he would be grabbed, so we scratched him. So, we are going for a perhaps an Allowance level or face older in a few weeks to see if he can handle the higher level. If he seems not to take, I am afraid we will exist in the land of claiming races until we lose him.

[Senator]

GAS worked a good half mile in :49 4/5 this morning. We're hoping to run in the $20,000 NW3 next Friday. Hopefully it draws enough horses to get used.

[Senator]

GAS ran sixth tonight at Lone Star in Texas, beaten 13 lengths this afternoon in a disappointing effort. No apparent excuses. He settled in near the back of the pack, dropped back to last down the backside, came wide to begin a rally but had no punch down the stretch in a dull effort.

I don't think these horses were too tough for him. He was a legitimate 9-2 at the window. Perhaps the distance was too far, but an eighth of a mile from home he wasn't in any better position.

[PilotMan]

So coming off the last race, where does he go from here? What kind of race was that last one, another claiming? Is that a rough outing to try and bounce back from?

[Senator]

GAS came out of his last race in good shape. After talking with the trainer today, we think that the combination of distance, class and perhaps the timing of his run during the race added up to a poor effort. When the jockey hit the pedal, GAS accelerated and ran past a couple horses but then hung. He's dead fit, so it's not a matter of conditioning as much as it's likely a sign that he's simply better coming off the pace at 5 1/2 or 6 furlongs.

We'll take advantage of this poor finish to take a class drop, cut back in distance and look for him to explode down the lane the next time with a move at the quarter pole.

[Senator]

Race time tomorrow night:

Lone Star Park
2nd race, 7:03pm CST
6 furlongs
pp 5 of 6
8-5 on the morning line

[chesapeake]

Is this a claiming race?

[Senator]

yes.

post time in 5 minutes. He is 4/5 odds right now. ugh

[Senator]

Well that was too easy. Won going away with little pressure.

[QuikSand]

Results | Daily Racing Form (http://www.drf.com/race-results/LS/USA/2012-05-18/D/2)

[QuikSand]

http://www1.drf.com/drfNCWeeklyHorseDisplay.do?track=LS&country=USA&raceDate=20120518&raceNo=2

[Senator]

GAS showed his class against a group of overmatched state-breds today as he won by two easy lengths. He was hustled a bit down the backside, moved around horses on the turn and looked like the winner when they straightened out. He won easily under a hand ride in the final 1/16th.

Clearly GAS is best going shorter distances where his stretch punch is most effective. He's in good form and I'd love to catch another state-bred field if we can. Hopefully we'll find something for him in a few weeks that fits. He deserves another shot at a next level up at his preferred distance.

[thealmighty]

If it was a claiming race and he was so good, why wouldn't someone claim him? In other words, what's the deal with claiming?

[Senator]

Most thoroughbred races are claiming races. It is the most common way a horse is acquired. He has run 9 races, and is 3-1-0-1 in those. That isn't exactly lighting it up.

Here is good definition I read that is better than I could come up with:

There are several different types of races, but most of the races run today are claiming races. A claiming race is a race where you enter your horse for a specific dollar amount, and anyone who meets certain criteria (different tracks have different rules about who is eligible to claim) can put the amount of the claim into an account with the horsemans's bookkeeper and claim (buy) your horse.
For example: If you put your horse into a $10,000 claiming race, a qualified person can put $10,000 into their account with the bookkeeper, and then on race day they fill out a claim slip, which has their name, the horse's name and sex, and the race info on it, then they put it into a locked box in the Racing Secretary's office. After the race, the box is opened, and any claim slips inside are read. If your horse has a claim slip filed, then you get the $10,000, but the claimant gets the horse. If there is more than one claim in on a horse, numbered pills corresponding to the number of claim slips are put into a bottle, which is then shaken, and a single number rolled out. The claim slip that matches that number gets the horse. Everybody else gets their money back. You don't know prior to the box being opened if there is a claim on your horse. Any purse money earned in the race belongs to the original owner, regardless of whether or not the horse is claimed.

The idea is that claiming keeps people honest, and allows lesser quality horses to compete equally. If all races were just open to everyone, then the same horses would win every time, since people with stakes horses would use cheaper races for workouts, just to earn easy money. But with claiming, you only enter your horse for a price that you feel is reasonable to lose him. So stakes horses aren't going to run against $15,000 claimers, since someone would claim the stake horse for a mere $15,000 if he were entered. The idea is to run your horse for the highest claiming amount that he can compete well at. That way you make the most money, but nobody else is likely to claim him, because he is already competing at his highest level. Most people claim because they feel that the horse can compete at higher levels than the current owner is running him at, so they feel they are getting a higher quality horse for a bargain price.

Claiming is a little risky, though, since you don't get to vet the horse prior to putting in a claim, and the horse actually belongs to you the minute the gates open, so if anything happens to the horse, you still lose the money. Also, many times the previous trainer knows any quirks that the horse has, and it can takes a new trainer quite some time to figure out a new horse.

[Senator]

Ok, I have learned alot about the average horse owner since visions of winning the triple crown raced through my head.

GAS is entered in Sunday's 7th race, a $5000 claimer for NW4 going 6 1/2 furlongs.

While GAS is in very good form and coming off a nice win, this is a big step up in class as he's moving from a soft field of NW3s to tough, older horses. I'm attaching the PPs so you can see for yourself.

Daily Racing Form: Login/Access Your Account (http://www1.drf.com/drfDownloadPastPerformance.do?TRK=LS&CY=USA&DATE=03&RACE=7)

Take a look at the horse Pacheco. Two starts back, he also won the $5000 NW3 race, just like GAS did in his last start. In Pacheco's last race, his first against advanced $5000 horses like the field this Sunday, he was clobbered. We may be facing the same fate against stablemate Spark Plug, an older horse with a ton of back class, over $150,000 earnings and still eligible for this condition.

GAS' earned a solid 60 Beyer in his last race. For a three-year-old, that's good. However, now he has to face older horses and multiple winners. That 60 number fits in with Filet Gumbo and Cook's Nook's last numbers and a few others have back numbers that are bigger. The race favorite is Spark Plug, who posted a 69 in his last and looms as the one to beat. GAS would be something around 8-1 or 10-1 on his own as his last race was about two seconds slower than Sparky's.

[Senator]

We talked through an option this afternoon of scratching Goldandsilver on Sunday morning and entering for the similar spot on June 9th going 5 1/2 furlongs. The only difference in the conditions of that $5000 claimer is the state-bred restriction. Still, that might be a good trade off to get a better distance. As you know, GAS has one good run of about a quarter mile. That burst is most effective between 5-6 furlongs. Sunday's distance of 6 1/2 might be a bit too long for his best effort.
Our trainer will keep his ear to the ground, check with the jock Agents to see who might be going into next Saturday's $5000 race and will make a game time decision on Sunday morning when early scratches are taken.

[Senator]

Scratched. Will run next week.

[QuikSand]

Entries | Daily Racing Form (http://www.drf.com/race-entries/LS/USA/2012-06-09/D/2)

RACE 2 (Post Time: 2:05) Surface: Dirt
5 1/2 Furlongs | Open | 3 Year Olds And Up | CLAIMING ( $5,000 ) | Purse: $7,500
Exacta / Trifecta / $.10 Superfecta / $.50 Pick 3 (Races 2-3-4) $.50 Pick 4 (Races 2-3-4-5)

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER CLAIM $ EQUIP. MED.
1 Cook's Nook L. Quinonez
122 Lbs J. Torrez $5,000 - L
2 Rizzi Money W. Cloninger, Jr.
122 Lbs M. Willis $5,000 - L
3 Goldandsilver L. Wade
118 Lbs D. Pish $5,000 - L
4 Bubble B. Buddha A. Sigala
117 Lbs J. Garza $5,000 - L
5 Super Struggler D. Wood
122 Lbs J. Murphy $5,000 - L
6 Speed Monster A. Contreras
122 Lbs R. Diggs $5,000 - L
7 Port of Seattle M. Berry
122 Lbs W. Calhoun $5,000 - L
8 Big Tony B. McNeil
122 Lbs R. Arnold, Jr. $5,000 - L
9 Whirling Crest E. McNeil
122 Lbs J. Hare $5,000 - L

[Senator]

Ok Quik, give us your read of the race. Port of Seattle looks tough.

Cool to be running on the same day as the next possible Triple Crown winner.

[QuikSand]

My quick read -- both horses to your inside are fairly legitimate, but the big hitter is definitely PORT OF SEATTLE. Your guy seems like a legitimate fit, just drew poorly here, I think. I like you in the money.

[Senator]

Well, looks like he was claimed. That was a fun experience.

[PilotMan]

:/

Well, I fully expect you to put that money to good use just to keep this thread going. I mean, you have expectations to meet!

[Senator]

There is a 7 yr old named Spark Plug I like, and one that is still being trained that has Secretariat lineage, but not sure I am going to do this again. It was really for my dad, and since he is gone, not sure I have the passion.

[EagleFan]

How did he do in the race?

[MIJB#19]

Well, looks like he was claimed. That was a fun experience.Going typical dutch here: what has been the return of investment? I don't mean just in money terms, as there was the joy and thrill of having your horse race, and from the sound of things it can be unrewarding to all of a sudden lose your cherished pet.

[Senator]

How did he do in the race?

7th - he never fired at the top of the stretch.

[Senator]

Going typical dutch here: what has been the return of investment? I don't mean just in money terms, as there was the joy and thrill of having your horse race, and from the sound of things it can be unrewarding to all of a sudden lose your cherished pet.

If you remember, I bought into this horse right after he was born to give to my dad as a "beat leukemia" motivation. So, after my dad passed, I had a horse that I had been paying for 2 years of food and training that had never even run.

When he finally did, and won his maiden in his first race, I felt a real connection to my dad again, and it was a tie to my dad that was really the last thing remaining. So, I was connected to this horse really as a reminder of my dad and how much he loved horse racing, and it was good but bittersweet.

I still think this horse has 40 good races left in him, and should end up around a 200k winner over his career, injury notwithstanding. Hate to lose him, but I think anyone who understands horse racing knows that claiming is the nature of the game, and unless you have a grade 1 horse that runs in stakes and allowance races, it is part of it. Still, he's been ours since he was a baby, and to see him leave just as he begins his career stinks.

I think that if I do this again, it will be when I want to spend the money on a challenger on the upper end of the food chain. Still, I have winners circle pictures in my house from this horse, and the thrill of the moment when they load your horse in the gate is pretty bad ass on my personal scale of excitement.

[MIJB#19]

Is it too far-fetched to call it the hors racing variant of a kid spreading his wings to fly out to discover and conquer the world?

[Senator]

I doubt he will conquer the world, but as far as race horses go, he is a success. If you look at the ones who try and the ones who win or make money, the ratio is pretty poor.

[QuikSand]

Entries | Daily Racing Form (http://www.drf.com/race-entries/LS/USA/2012-06-21/D/9)

(see race 9)

Anyone have $5k lying around to reclaim this horse?

[Senator]

Should I?

[kingfc22]

Should I?

Yes. For purely selfish dynasty reading purposes.

[sterlingice]

Just caught up: It was a fun read while it lasted :)

SI

[QuikSand]

$4k will get him on Aug 2 in Tulsa

Entries | Daily Racing Form (http://www.drf.com/race-entries/FMT/USA/2012-08-02/D/5)

He gets a big weight advantage, not sure if that's a bug or a condition allowance, guessing the former. I doubt he's worth the study or the haul, but FYI.