Getting onto a racetrack?

Question

I have an eight year old Quarter Horse who has racing bloodlines, but due to health issues with his owner/trainner, he never made it near a racetrack. In fact, he had no trainning when I got him when he was six. We have made a ton of progress, and I would really love to take him out to a track sometime and clock him just for the fun of it and I know that he would love it. The problem is, I'm not sure what I need to do to be able to take him out to a racetrack or if that is even a possibility. If anyone can tell me what all I need to do to be able to get us out onto a racetrack for just a good gallop that would be great. Also, I live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Answer 1

go to your nearest racetrack, and speak to a trainer, and go from there, the horse must be able to be gate certified with a jockey or exercise rider. it not as ez as you think, just go to the paddock around 30 minutes to race 1 and speak to the trainer before his horse comes over to be saddled, and get his business card, and he should be able to help you out, speak to a trainer with the best winning %. anymore questions e-mail me direct at bwj1963@ yahoo.com

Answer 2

During the off season, you might be able to use the track or the training track on an actual race track if that facility also has a private selling area.  Fairplex Pomona has Barrett's next to their facility & some of the horses that are on the selling list use the track for exercise.  Your horse must be 100% or no one will allow it to use the track because it could cause harm to other horses & riders who have a much higher price on their heads.  Then there's the insurance, liscense, permits, etc.  No trainer that I know of would take the risk to have a horse such as yours enter the track under their name unless they are looking to have their liscense pulled or cancelled!  Sorry sweetie, but if you love your horse & you have come this far with him, then don't expose him to the viral infections & conditions of the back lot of the racetracks.  If he has never been there, then it would put his health at risk.  The conditions of the track alone could ruin his legs if he isn't accustomed to running on a soft dirt track.  If you want to push him to see what he can do, then I suggest that you contact a breeding farm in your area & talk to them about using their training track, because it is usually the same size as the one on the race tracks.  It takes years to get a horse ready for the rigors of a race track.  The sights & sounds alone would throw most horses who have never been there into a frenzy & their owners too!  Just have fun with your horse & keep them off the racetrack if they don't need to be there...you'll be glad you did!  You might be able to get a "pony-riders" lisc, but that's not easy either!  You still need certification by track personell for you & your horse.

Answer 3

since you are not that interested in actually racing him,  look around for training facilities in your area with a training track on them.  Rather than waste a trainers time,   since they will be responsible for your horse if they get you on the race track.

If you can't find a training facility in the phone book call the racing office at Lone star Park there and they would probably be able to help you out or know someone that could.