How much does it cost to own a racehorse?

Question

How much does it cost to own a racehorse? I'm mainly inquiring about the harness type, not thoroughbred (if it's any difference in cost). Please break it down by category starting with the actual price to purchase the horse, as well as food, board, vet expenses, etc etc. Thanks.

Answer 1

standard breds ( used for harness racing) can be brought for as little as $1000 dollars in oz....... but that's just the tip of the ice berg! after your initial outlay you will have constant bills and fees......... stable, feed, vets, farriers, dentists, transport to and from races, training fees if your not training yourself, you will need to pay a driver when your horse races, race entry fees, the list goes on and on and on.....what i would advise you to do is to go to your local track and ask some owners and trainers what they spend per year!!

TRUE STORY:: a taxi driver brought a thoroughbred about 6 or 7 year ago for approximately $1375 Ozzy dollars this horse has now amassed over 4.6 million in prize money..... my point is don't be disheartened by the costs of owning and maintaining a race horse, because dreams can come true. below is a link with some info on what a 1375 dollar horse can do, the hoses name is Takeover Target, and hes currently in quarantine as he's heading to Singapore for a million dollar race then hes going back to England for the sprint series at royal ascot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takeover_Ta...

Answer 2

it depends on the level of competition. they run anywhere from 50,000 to over a million. you can buy a cheap foal and hope it is fast. you can not buy a cheap foal of championships bloodlines though. they will cost.

Answer 3

Once you buy a horse for $7500 avg. claiming price to $100,000 to Millions depending on the grade of horse you buy, Owning is about the same because all horses need to be boarded, fed, groomed, and exercised.  So about $500-$1000 a month.  Course if you own a Million dollar horse you probably will spend much more to take care of your investment.  Like insurance etc.

If you enter races there is an entry fee so you would have to add that to the costs.

Answer 4

There's an old saying in owning race horses -- You can make a small fortune in horse racing, but only if you start with a large fortune.