The following is reprinted
from Thoroughbred Owners of California's Handbook for Thoroughbred Owners
of California with the permission of that organization.
TRAINERS
Trainers, like the owners who hire them, tend
to be rugged individualists - strong-minded men and women who, in most
cases, are self-made. Many started out as hot-walkers or exercise riders
or yearling-breakers, and managed to pull away from the "pack" by sheer
hard work and smarts. Competitive with one another and secretive (see chapter
entitled "The Game"), they keep to themselves and run their barns like
principalities.
Trainers, a proud lot, regard themselves as professionals - experts for hire - and
not as "employees" in the common sense. There was a time, only recently
passed, when the saying on the "backside" (common terminology for the stable
area) went something like "Owners should be treated like mushrooms: kept
in the dark and fed bull..." Well, you get the idea. Fortunately, an increased
involvement by knowledgeable owners, and a new breed of modern businessmen-trainers,
have combined to change that attitude.
For those of us who don't know a horse's hock
from his stifle, and would find it difficult to understand that, in horse
terms, what is called a knee is the equivalent in human physiology to our
wrists, we tend to look upon a trainer in the same manner as we view our
medical doctors. We take their statements on faith, and pray that they
make wise choices. In most cases, we don't even know the questions to ask,
much less the course of action to take.
Unlike doctors, however, even the top trainers
will freely admit that the difference between an amateur and a "pro" is
pretty much the quality of his guesswork. "Training" horses to win is not
an exact science; it is composed largely of instinct, talent, a trained
eye, a smartly-run barn, the ability to maintain relationships with volatile
people over the long term - and above all, hands-on, in-the-trenches experience.
"Training" in this field, if it can be defined,
is most akin to the role of an athletic coach. The trainer will help spot
and "recruit" talented horses for the owner, take responsibility for the
horses´ health and their individual conditioning programs, including
their feed and feed supplements, any needed "sports-type" treatments such
as poultices and bandaging, and an understanding of when to call for veterinary
care. They keep an eye out for injuries or developing problems, monitor
each horse's mood and psychology, and give their judgment on the best workout
and racing schedule for each horse. Unlike athletic coaches, however, there
is never an "off-season" for the racehorse trainer. They work 7 days a
week, every week of the year, and nightlife is a long-forgotten memory.
Most successful trainers rise at 3:30 or 4:00 a.m., and often put in 16-hour
days. There is a sense of "mission" about their work. Clearly, their
careers as trainers are looked on far more as a calling than as a "job."
For California's almost 10,000 racehorse owners,
there are over 800 state-licensed thoroughbred racehorse trainers to choose
from, and although they clump somewhat into "schools of thought" and specialties,
no two are alike. Finding the right trainer for you is, conservatively,
more than half the battle when it comes to building for yourself a satisfying
career as an owner.
CHOOSING A TRAINER
Once the emotional commitment to owning a horse
has been made, the process of selecting a trainer becomes crucial.
Experienced owners and neophytes alike can come a cropper at this crux.
How do you determine which trainer fits your needs as well as your horses'?
The answer lies in asking the right questions. The first set of questions
are the ones you must ask yourself.
Horse owning is a gamble. It is akin
to the lesson you learn when you bet the 2-5 shot and the 35-1 goes wire-to-wire.
How much are you prepared to gamble for the thrill of owning your own franchise?
It will come down to a combination of passion and pocketbook
and, depending on the level at which you wish to participate, you may need
both in abundance. The money you spend as an owner of racehorses
is money you must be prepared to kiss good-bye. Bad breaks and good
ones, faith, slumps, hunches and especially luck are the ultimate rulers
in this sport, so it takes the right trainer to make the experience tolerable.
In selecting a trainer (or, eventually, trainers),
there are three basic factors you will need to weigh:
1) How much your budget will allow (a trainer's
success rate raises or lowers his "price"),
2) How much hands-on participation you want
and expect, and
3) Should pick the one that best suits your own taste and philosophy.
The amount of direct participation wanted
in the progress of your horse is a determining factor.
FOR EXAMPLE: A trainer whose success
rate is high will command a higher price, and has the option - if its in
his makeup - of taking more control of your horse's career and soliciting
your involvement and opinion less than you would like. In this case,
then, you must weigh the value of his or her "win average" - i.e., your
security - against your desire to be a hands-on owner. In the extreme,
a very successful trainer with an autocratic bent is likely to prefer making
most of the decisions on his or her own, from choosing the date when the
horse will race and the level at which it will run to which jockey will
ride it. This trainer may also prefer to determine the extent of
veterinary care needed, which vet will treat the horse, and what treatments
will be administered. On the other hand, the top trainer may have
a garrulous personality, enjoy talking to you and conferring with you fairly
often, and even relish the process of educating you about thoroughbred
horses.
The point is: Decide what you want most
and find a trainer who will be comfortable with those wishes. The
top trainers generally don't need your business (unless you're bringing
a lot of it) - so if you want a high level of involvement and participation,
you may have to drop down the "win ladder" a little to find it. But
don't mistake the willingness to listen as a sign of insecurity or weakness.
It takes a very well schooled and sure-handed trainer to be willing to
listen and, in fact, teach an owner what must be learned to make the right
choices. And no matter how willing or "democratic" the trainer, remember
to respect the fact that he or she has more experience with horses and
racing than you do. (As one amiable veteran trainer likes to put
it: "If you know so much about these horses, then what are you paying me
for?)
Note: A subheading to all the above
information is that there are trainers with definite specialties.
Some trainers have reputations for breaking young or difficult horses,
some for bringing horses back from injury, others for their skill in developing
two-year-olds, or fillies, or sprinters, or turf runners. Some trainers
are "known" claiming trainers, while others are "buy-sell" specialists
and won't be interested in the claiming game at all (until such time as
you no longer want a particular horse). The above-described trainers
represent the extremes, and not the norm - but the question of "specialty"
is one to be raised before going any further.
Once you have determined how deeply you wish
to be involved in the management of your thoroughbred, be sure to immediately
lay that out for any trainer you interview. Only by so doing will
you find a "marriage" that suits your style of operation.
FINDING a few names of trainers who
might suit you can be gone about in several ways. First, you might
put in a good bit of time at the track, asking around among the "veteran"
race-trackers which trainers they most admire, talking to thoroughbred
owners, and getting recommendations. Trainers are frequent visitors
to the owners' boxes, so a preliminary introduction and the exchange of
enough conversation with the trainer to at least "determine the cut of
his jib" is not impossible. Second, TOC offers a thorough "Trainers
Directory" which lists over 160 licensed trainers in the state. Third,
you can call the TOC "Mentor Program" and - though the "mentors" will not
give recommendations - hear from as many owners as you like what their
experience has been with various trainers working in your area, and what
advice and cautions they would offer, given your plans.
Once you've selected a name or names, you
can either check the TOC "Trainers Directory" or call the local racetrack
and get the phone (or Fax) number of any trainer's barn. [Note: Some
trainers do not "move barns" with each meet, but only ship horses to race
at the "active" track. If the track you're calling doesn't show a
listing for the trainer you're trying to contact, try the other major track
in your area.]
You may, according to most trainers, feel
free to call and ask for an appointment to talk. The best hours to
call, for them. Are between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. - before and after that
their days are generally mayhem. Be aware that if you are calling
a top trainer, he or she may not be taking on new clients or horses, (unless
your pockets have no bottoms and your ambitions no ceilings - or unless
you are offering horses of top stakes class, which no trainer can resist.)
Though you may be most comfortable inviting the trainer to lunch (or to
a very early dinner) to talk, it would be far more enlightening to arrange
the meeting at his or her barn some mid-morning, where you can see the
staff and horses and get a feel for how the barn is run. The barn
should be orderly and raked by 10:30, the horses exercised, hot-walked,
bathed, and bandaged. The trainer and an assistant trainer, if it's
a very big operation, should have seen every horse that morning and be
familiar with the physical and emotional condition of each. No matter
how "important" the trainer, he or she should know every horse by name
and by sight, and the good ones will be proud to show that they do.
Once your interview is set, be ready with
the questions you want answers to: these are people with very little spare
time.
SUGGESTED QUESTIONS INCLUDE:
What is your philosophy of training? (Listen
well.)
How much contact do you think is appropriate
between an owner and trainer? (i.e., how much and how often if I have 1
horse with you, or if I have 3, or if I have 10)?
Is it preferable for me to call you, or vice
versa? If you'd rather I call, what times of day are best?
Will you automatically call me if the horse
is going to work, or if it's sick, or if something is developing with its
physical condition or training program? Are you likely to include me, or
consult with me, on the selection of races for my horse? (The answers to
these questions will give you insight into the depth to which you will
be invited to participate in your horses'care.)
What is your "day rate" per horse? The
range can vary widely depending on the trainer's reputation and "batting
average." (Figure on about a third less for Northern California.)
The day rate is a necessity. Every sound or reasonably sound horse
requires hours of daily attention. It must be exercised in some manner,
whether that consists of walking, jogging, galloping, breezing or actually
working. It must be taken from its stall, bathed and groomed.
Its stall must be cleaned and its food prepared and served. The "day-rate,"
and what trainer services are incorporated in it is COMPLETELY NEGOTIABLE.
The variables, more or less are: What you are offering in terms of horses,
what the trainer's success rate and reputation and command - and how skilled
both of you are at negotiation. Take your time, and do the research.
Though "stars" in any field can and usually
will command "star fees," a trainer's day rate is rarely set by caprice
or ego. With a higher day rate, you are also likely to find a higher
employee-to-horse ratio, better feed supplements, hand-walking (as opposed
to machine-walking) and generally more attentive care of the horses in
that barn. Most trainers will insist that they break even or actually
lose money on their day rates. Why would they be willing to lose
money? Because, like you, they only make "real money" on their percentage
of winnings. They may, if they see a promising horse, go into day-rate
deficit to turn that horse into a winner, because that's where the profit
is. On the other hand, there are smaller, starting-out trainers who
will and must, because they have fewer horses of poorer quality, make their
living on their day rate. Your eyes and wits will probably tell you
the tale. An interesting fact to keep in mind when considering day-rates
is this: it costs as much, if not more, to condition and train a
"cheap" horse as an expensive one.
What does your day-rate include? The
items usually covered are feed, grooming, exercise riders, ponies for workout,
paddock and gate schooling, hot-walking, vitamins, bandaging and similar
""supplies"" the assistant trainer'' fee, and your share of Worker'' Compensation
Insurance for every employee of the barn. Again, this is a NEGOTIABLE
arrangement, and if you feel that more should be provided under a trainer's
day rate, say so, and discuss it. Some commonly non-covered expenses
in the day rate are (though not limited to):
1)Farrier (shoeing) expenses,
2) Veterinary costs (visits, X-rays, drugs, etc.), and
3) Transport.
What is your average vet bill per horse per
month? Some trainers use vets almost compulsively, and with good
results, while others use them sparingly and with equally good results:
It depends on the trainer and, to some extent, the quality of horses he
has to work with. Again, a paradoxical note to keep in mind is that
the vet bills for an inexpensive horse are likely to be higher than for
an expensive horse. Finally, ask if it is the trainer's practice
to call you/warn you/consult with you on major veterinary expenses. Does
the trainer check the vet bill before forwarding it on to you?
What is your background; how much hands-on
experience have you had, and who "taught" you? On average, the more
years of firsthand experience trainers have had, and the more years in
business, the better "bets" they are.
What percentage do you charge on winning horses?
This is usually either a 10% share for the trainer, plus a 1-3% share for
the "barn" - i.e., all personnel from the assistant trainer down to the
grooms - or a flat percentage of 12-13%, which includes everyone (except
the jockey). By the way, the above figure is generally more negotiable
than any other, including the trainer's day rate.
Am I invited to visit the barn and see my
horse (perhaps even curry it and feed it a carrot) at will, or am I restricted?
This facet of being an owner may be important
to you or not, but it also may change for you, and its worth getting the
answer now.
The gentleman's sport of horseracing is one
of the few business situations left is which management (Owner) and contractor
(Trainer) generally operate on a handshake, which makes communication -
including the full discussion and understand beforehand of what you're
"shaking on" - even more crucial than in ordinary enterprises. As
uncommon as it is to sign contracts with trainers, some owners will insist
on getting certain details in writing, such as the amount of the trainer's
commissions on purses and the sale of horses, and a list of the expenses
not covered by the daily training fee.
The key to everything, however, is good communication
from the outset. How do you lay the groundwork for mutual respect
and trust, for a relationship that invites candid exchange and avoids rancor?
BRAND INTO YOURSELF AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF EXPECTATION. For example,
only two out of three unraced thoroughbreds ever get to a race, and few
of those "survivors" ever get to the top level. This is rarely the
fault of the trainer, and should not be assumed to be. Horses behave
with what one observer called "an awesome randomness" when they race:
Somewhere inside, all hot-bloods still possess a wildness that a trainer
can't always predict and a jockey can't always control. Most horses,
for whatever reason, LOSE. If your horse loses, ask questions first,
and only "shoot" much, much later, and never in the heat of disappointment.
Finally, no matter whom you choose, it still
be hooves you to carry into the relationship as much knowledge about training
and racing operations as you can possibly absorb (see, for example, the
chapters on "Veterinary Costs" and "Operating Costs").but keep close at
hand a reasonable amount of humility.
There are questions you will be dying to ask,
and often, such as, WHEN WILL MY HORSE BE READY TO ENTER IN A RACE?
This is a world of guesses and tiptoeing. There are times when the
process of getting a horse ready to race feels akin to the speed at which
grass grows. Forward progress takes weeks. The bills mount.
Economic overwhelm looms. Patience wears thin.
If the horse's progress is excruciatingly
slow, it might make more sense to send the horse the horse to a training
facility where the costs are almost half of what they are at a race track.
If this is done, the trainer loses his daily fee. (While trainers
do not seek to "lumber" owners with costs, some may resent losing control
of the training of the horse and the daily fee attached. This is
a discussible item in any ongoing, forthright owner-trainer dialogue.)
The fact is, your horse will be ready when its ready, and no amount of
pressure from you or your trainer will change that very much. All
you can do is to be tuned to pick the right moment.
Finally, there are a few simple "wisdoms"
which will help in your all-important relationship with your trainer:
1) Be Honest to the Point of Bluntness
2) Remember "Luck", and avoid the temptation to blame
3) When in doubt, don't suspect.ASK
4) When you ask, listen
5) Be open about your intentions--for example,if you plan to move your horse "up" to a more noted trainer as soon as
you can, SAY SO; if you plan to enlist other trainers for your other horses,
SAY SO.
Your trainer, ideally, should be as close
and as trusted as "family." The world of racing is a small world:
Relationships last a long time, and bad blood will, eventually, come around
and bite you where it hurts. Finally, if at any point you find you
don't trust your trainer, you should, both for the trainer's sake and yours,
GET ANOTHER!
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