On the second day of the eighth OwnerView Conference, presented by the Jockey Club and the Purebred Owners and Breeders Association, communication emerged as a topic of panel discussions about the importance of ownership partnerships and owner-trainer relationships.
Held at Racecourse Saratoga On July 26, the show opened with two “next generation” panels: one that introduced adult relatives into the Thoroughbred business, the other games in their 20s. keynote by Stacie Clark Rogers, operations consultant for Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the conference closed with owners and trainers talking about their business plans, practices and success.
Len Green owns Thoroughbreds and founded The Green Group, a financial services company based in New Jersey. He has written and presented about how owners can take advantage of the tax rules in their favor. He stressed the need for a solid business plan.
“If you’re buying a racehorse, you’ve clearly been successful in something,” he said. “You went into that without knowing anything about it? You had to have a game plan, you wanted to be proactive in your business, and you wanted a flexible plan.”
Rhodes University economics professor Marshall Gramm co-founded Ten Strike Racing with Clay Sanders with a specific goal: to win races at Oaklawn Park.
Marshall Gramm
“You have to find your niche,” says Gramm. “I’m a jockey, and my niche market is long-distance races. So we look for dirt horses. Some of the best I’ve learned as an owner. is through betting. Play the races; it’s the best education out there.”
Phillip Shelton manages Taylor Made Farm’s Medallion Racing partnership, which exclusively buys canes for their future residual value in the form of mother hens.
All panelists urged owners and managing partners to be clear in their communication with partners. Russ Sapienza, co-owner and senior advisor of Taste of Victory Stables, cautions against doing business with a handshake agreement.
“When you’re about to write a check for $30,000, does a handshake really work?” he asked eloquently. “Please ask for something in writing. We send a document for partners to read about each step of their capital investment.”
Panelists also emphasized the value of partnerships in sharing financial risks and educating first-time owners.
“There is a lot of risk in this game, financial and emotional risk,” Sapienza said. “Partnerships allow you to participate and manage some of that risk.”
The conference closed with a panel in which coach David Donk and former coach Buff Bradley shared the stage with bloodsucker agents Marette Farrell, Michelle Borisenok and Michael Devlin, who manage the racing partnership.
When asked about the importance of trainer statistics when choosing where to place your horses, Farrell said, “Stats can be a good way to judge trainers, but we all know those who are. Trainers develop horses and owners need to know that. Those trainers. have a separate program for each horse and the stats aren’t as important as getting the best out of each horse.”
Borisenok founded Brown Road Racing to help women learn about the Thoroughbred industry. “For us, it’s about the experience,” she said. “Winning doesn’t matter much. We want a coach who will educate us, and the passion that comes with that means we will eventually succeed in the winner’s circle.”
Devlin is the founder and managing partner of Curragh Stables, and for his team, those percentages can matter.
“They’re a great tool, and we want a percentage of the people’s money training there,” he said.
David Donki
Donk said owners should consider their goals when looking for a coach.
“Do you want to own 2-year-olds? Claiming horses? How much risk can you take?” he say. “One of the biggest pressures at Saratoga is that a lot of people want to be in the winner’s circle, and some people will pay 10 for 1. Can you look a little more economical and do it right? ”
Both Donk and Bradley focus on the invisible in the owner-coach relationship.
“Go to the barn,” Bradley said. “How’s the mood there? How are the helpers treated? The horses in front of the stall? Go outside and watch how the stables run.”
“Look at the coach’s work ethic,” added Donk. “Are the trainers happy? Do they like what they’re doing? My alarm goes off at 4:20 every morning and being at the barn at 5:30 is the best time of the day.”
In his keynote, Clark Rogers followed the evolution of purebred childcare from the early 80’s to the present, offering examples of how retired masters have may find a second career, including in the show, in correctional vocational programs, and in equine therapy programs. .
