WHY DID YOU GET OUT OF HARNESS RACING

[burdman]

The USTA has no regards for owners and continues to license trainers (if you want to call them that) that continue to violate most of the rules of the sport. The officials at most tracks must not do any background checks as violations don't seem to matter. There is no integrity and it is amazing to see horses vastly improve when they are claimed by known needle men in the business. Sadly it has kept me out!!

[Grandstand Handicapper]

I never got out of the business. I changed and downsized my model and operation. I was never a yearling buyer. I only bought horses who were already on the track, racing, or getting ready to race. I always looked for value, an angle, some sort of edge. We did well. Then the racehorse market started to change. The marketplace got much more accessible with computers and technology. Racing became borderless with Canadian trainers setting up barns/stables here in the US. It got harder to find value, hidden gems, and horses at the right prices. Then my main partner got impatient, wanted to branch out into yearlings, wanted a massive stable, etc., and he went completely awry and thought he could be the Ron Burke of owners. While it wasn't a major reason, at the same time, my trainer got a lot more into and eventually focused on yearlings, started going to FL, etc. He attracted new owners who were breeders and yearling buyers, so his world changed a lot as well.

More tracks, more racing, saturation, increased the demand for horses. The racehorse marketplace continued to change while costs and expenses went up -- trainers' daily rate, shipping, vets, etc. The prices of quality horses increased a lot. Yet the high/higher end purses did not. Some went down. Complete inefficiency in the marketplace. Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives. LMAO.

[theokodjak26]

Racing at the Meadowlands and could no longer win. My trainer was honest and that put him at a terrible disadvantage. So we owners got out and so did our trainer.

[wizardofoz]

Training fees are way out of line and the smaller trainers have most of their owners losing money and races, yet they do NOT lower their fees.

[COUNSELOR]

I KNOW MANY OWNERS THAT WERE FORCED OUT BECAUSE THEY NO LONGR WOULD B LICENSED BY THE USTA DUE TO "FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY" ISSUES.   USUALLY THIS WAS A CLAIM BY AN UNSCUPULOUS TRAINER, VET OR VENDOR.  IN FACT, SEVERAL OD THESE FOLKS WERE IN FACT USING TRAINERS THAT ARE NOW SERVING TIME.   THEIR BILLS WERE OUT OF LINE AND THEY OVERCHARGED INNOCENT GOOD OWNERS THAT ONLY WANTED  FAIR SHAKE.  I HAVE SEEN THE INVOICES AND TRUTHFULLY THESE FOLKS WERE SCAMMED.   THE FACTS ARE NOW SEVERAL OF THESE TRAINERS ARE NOW SERVING TIME FOR OTHER ISSUES ALTHOUGH THEY EASILY COULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED FOR FRAUDULANT INVOICES REGARDING SERVICES RENDERED.

IT IS NOT EASY TO FIND A GOOD OWNER THAT PAYS HIS LEGITIMATE INVOICES WITHIN DAYS====UNFORTUNATELY THESE FOLKS MAY BE GONE FOREVER.  I KNOW OF MANY OWNERS THAT CANNOT GET A USTA LICENSE BECAUSE THEY HAVE NEGATIVE CLAIMS BY THESE TRAINERS OR VENDORS.  ONE SUCH INDIVIDUAL CANNOT GET A LICENSE DUE TO A  BANKRUPTCY IN 1988!!!!!!!   SERIOUSLY, 1988!!!!!THAT IS 36 YEARS AGO!!!  IN FACT THIS INDIVIDUAL HAS A GREAT BUSINESS AND IS LICENSED BY EVERY STATE TO DO HER CORE BUSINESS BUT CANNOT GET A USTA LICENSE!!   THIS IS A TRAVESTY.

MY ARGUMENT IS 36 YEARS FOR A BANKRUPTCY THAT IS THE LEGAL RIGHT OF EVERY AMERICAN CANNOT BE LICENSED BUT MANY TRAINERS GET A MINOR PENALTY FOR DRUGS, ETC.  ALL IT TAKES IS TO SIT OUT A FEW DAYS OR WEEKS AND THEY ARE BACK IN THE BUSINESS BUT OWNERS WHO WERE RIPPED OFF BY THESE CROOKED TRAINERS CANNOT BECOME LICENSED??    THIS IS WHY THE INDUSTRY IS DEAD.

THE US CONSTITUTION GIVES ALL AMERICANS THE RIGHT TO DECLARE BANKRUPTCY BUT YET THESE FOLKS CANNOT RACE!!!!!

WE ALSO HAVE REVIEWED SEVERAL OTHERS THAT HAVE DECLARED BANKRUPTCY AND ARE NOW RACING.  POLITICAL ASYLUM I CALL IT!   SELECTIVE PROSECUTION   GUILT BY ASSOCIATION AS I KNOW FAMILY MEMBERS ZTHAT CANNOT BE LICENSED BECAUSE OF A SPOUSE ISSUE MANY YEARS AGO.

WHERE ARE THE OWNERS?   GONE FOREVER AS THE USTA IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT WAS SETUP TO PROTECT THE TRAINERS AND INSIDERS IN THE INDUSTRY-----NOT THE OWNERS!!!!!!

THE TRAINERS THAT WERE INCARCERATED WILL BE RACING BEFORE THE FOLKS THAT FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY 36 YEARS AGO!  SEVERAL ARE TRING TO RENEW LICENSES NOW AND TO RECEIVE PROBATIONARY LICENSES.   

VERY INTERESTING!!

[Mohawk mac]

I was always a small time owner.  10-25% of each horse.  Had a ton of fun and above average success for 30 years.  Then Illinois racing turned to shit due to greedy track owners, crooked politicians and inept leadership among the horsemen.  That's a lethal combination.  Now I just watch and bet Mohawk because it is the best product out there IMHO. 

[Sam R]

After owning horses for 41 years combined with a run of bad luck of horses being sick and injured it felt like time. The game changed not in good ways. You could no longer race a claimer where he belonged. The rent a horse way of racing was not for me.I enjoyed learning about each horse and placing him where they could compete. That meant shipping to many different tracks to find the right class. That became harder to deal with race secretaries and race offices.

[Grandstand Handicapper]

Unless the rule changed since 2022 -- in NJ -- USTA membership is not required to be granted a Pari-Mutuel racing license. On the most recent application, it asks if you are a member, yes or no.

[Mailbox Money]

Up and down the road got to be too much with growing youngsters involved with sports and other activities,put a strain on the body and mind! I started to save more money until the point of working with my head replaced working with the body! I thank my lucky stars for guiding me on a path to enjoy life and NEVER worry about the financial situation! One of the things I do for enjoyment now is relax and enjoy the races and doing this keyboard in an effort to maintain mental stability!

[Stan durbread]

Unless the rule changed since 2022 -- in NJ -- USTA membership is not required to be granted a Pari-Mutuel racing license. On the most recent application, it asks if you are a member, yes or no.

Many states are that way. And once a state racing commission gives you a license the USTA must give you a membership

[Oliver Clozoff]

Small time Owner/trainer/driver, Slots came in and pushed me out, Didn't have big money to buy competitive horses for our newly slot infused purses.  It Just let the bigger stables come in and dominate the little guy who was faithful and filling the box for $1000 purses. Now 90 percent are gone or warming up or working for other stables.

So move to Truro, they still race for $1500 there.  As far as competitive horses, they run claiming races every day anyone and everyone is free to claim.  I think what your saying is you weren't a very good driver or trainer but could still make a living before the real money came in and forced your incompetent ass out.

[Meadow Ford]

Training fees are way out of line and the smaller trainers have most of their owners losing money and races, yet they do NOT lower their fees.

At what business school, do they teach future business owners (trainers), that when their overhead (labor, ins, equip, ETC) go up, they should lower their fees?

[LAW AND ORDER]

SMALL TIME OWNER WITH 4-6 HORSES MOSTLY CLAIMERS FOR 11 YEARS. THEN THE GAME CHANGED AND TRACK MANAGEMENT AND RACE OFFICE BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO DEAL WITH. I MEAN ROTTEN RACE SECRETARIES EVERYWHERE WE RACED EXCEPT HAWTHORNE. I CANT REMEMBER THAT GUYS NAME BUT WHEN WE SHIPPED FROM MICHIGAN AND OHIO TO RACE THERE, THAT GUY WAS A PRETTY DECENT GUY. THIS ASSCLOWN AT HOOSIER PEINEE HAS THE PERSONALITY OF LOLLIPOP. GLAD I'M OUT BECAUSE IF I WAS STILL IN THE GAME, I WOULD OF FOR SURE BEEN LOCKED UP FOR TAKING A SWING AT A GUY LIKE HIM.

[Meadow Ford]

SMALL TIME OWNER WITH 4-6 HORSES MOSTLY CLAIMERS FOR 11 YEARS. THEN THE GAME CHANGED AND TRACK MANAGEMENT AND RACE OFFICE BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO DEAL WITH. I MEAN ROTTEN RACE SECRETARIES EVERYWHERE WE RACED EXCEPT HAWTHORNE. I CANT REMEMBER THAT GUYS NAME BUT WHEN WE SHIPPED FROM MICHIGAN AND OHIO TO RACE THERE, THAT GUY WAS A PRETTY DECENT GUY. THIS ASSCLOWN AT HOOSIER PEINEE HAS THE PERSONALITY OF LOLLIPOP. GLAD I'M OUT BECAUSE IF I WAS STILL IN THE GAME, I WOULD OF FOR SURE BEEN LOCKED UP FOR TAKING A SWING AT A GUY LIKE HIM.

Haw. Race Sec, most likely Bob Larry.
Yes a good guy.

[COUNSELOR]

THE SPORT WAS INTENTIONALLY DRIVEN TO SUPPORT THE CHOSEN FEW FOR PROFIT.    THERE ARE LESS AND LESS OWNERS/REAL TRAINERS/REAL DRIVERS TODAY BASCICALLY TAKING THE ALLOCATED SLOT CHARITY WHICH WILL END SOON IN MY OPINION.
THIS MOVE WAS DESIGNED BY THE FEW IN POWER AGAINST THE MASSES THAT NO LONGER CAN AFFORD TO COMPETE DUE TO COST.   IT IS A RICH MANS GAME AND THEY IN TURN ACHIEVE HUGE WRITEOFFS AGINST OTHER INCOME (IE SECTION 179) AND ARE ABLE TO SY=TUFF THE BOX WITH ENTRIES.  SOMETIMES A RACE HAS 2 OR 3 OWNNERS WITH ALL 10 ENTRIES.

IN THE OLD DAYS ENTRIES WERE VERY SELDOM ALLOWED----PERIOD.