How can you "really" learn about becoming a Thoroughbred Racehorse owner in Minnesota?

As the 2017 Minnesota racing season approaches, new questions have started coming in. Folks looking to become owners in Minnesota are trying to educate themselves but they are confounded by poor or conflicting data.

I remember the mess I went through as a new Minnesota owner years ago so I asked myself what I would do if I was starting from scratch again. I would first go to the internet, as all intelligent people do in this contemporary world, and review all the Minnesota Thoroughbred racing information available.

Well things are an absolute mess! From links that go nowhere, nonsensical website navigation, to dated material, to no scheduled owner seminars, to national site links that are entirely unrelated to Minnesota specific issues, to “unaccomplished expert” referrals, it is no surprise that it is so difficult to get new owners involved in the great sport of racing!

Every state has this problem, and I reviewed some other states to compare. New owner involvement in racing is a huge problem, some would say the primary problem, throughout the industry. After taking a couple days to gather and analyze data, I have to wonder how many new people who have the wherewithal to get in the game, just give up after doing a little research online.

The Jockey Club Ownerview website is one of the best “generic” links offered. While this site provides possibly the best general new owner overview, people interested in Minnesota ownership who look at this site will never know their real costs, how to select a MN trainer, how much bang for their buck they can get in MN, how to race their horses in MN, the “huge” economic and experiential difference between a Minnesota state bred horse versus a non-state bred horse, why a turf horse is more valuable in Minnesota, where to buy in MN, how to claim in MN, who the best MN trainers or advisors are, where or how to get licensed in MN, where to board in MN, how to transport to or from MN,……..and the list goes on and on.

To offer just one example of how confounded a new Minnesota owner must be after reviewing the Ownerview website, new owners likely think that the Ownerview illustrated Midwest regional average annual training and maintanence costs of $37,073 per horse, represent Minnesota costs. I wonder how many potential new Minnesota owners just gave up after seeing this figure, because Minnesota average costs are nowhere near that number!

Rather than continuing to disenfranchise potentially countless folks interested in owning a Minnesota racehorse, and likely gave up after finding ridiculously poor information online, I am going to build a page on this website for new Minnesota owners. I will share my Minnesota specific data and what the data tells me about effectively becoming a Minnesota owner so others can more easily enjoy one of the finest Minnesota pastimes available……Minnesota Thoroughbred Racing.

If you are thinking about Minnesota ownership, expanding your existing stable, considering a partnership deal or have any questions you would like me to address early on, just message me on Facebook or shoot me an email at Astarthor@aol.com.  

Much more to come.

---