2006-07-11 11:51:24 · 4 answers · asked by luckiest 4 in Sports ➔ Horse Racing
Each horse entered into a claiming race has a price tag. Anyone (with an owner or trainer's license) who wants to purchase that horse has to contact the racing secretary and 'put in the claim' or let him/her know that you are interested in purchasing. In many areas you have to transfer the money into an escrow account controlled by the racing secretary. If more than one party has put in a claim on a horse then a name is drawn from a hat and that party claims the horse.The horse races for its initial owners. Any money earned in the race goes to the initial owners. If the horse is claimed it becomes the property of its new owners as soon as the race is finished. If the race finishes without the horse it's tough luck for the new owners. In claiming a horse the rule of thumb is that you get the horse, four shoes and a halter. So as soon as the horse comes off the track it's old groom picks it up, untacks it and the new groom takes it to its new home.
2006-07-11 14:04:44 · answer #1 · answered by Greyt-mom 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Greyt-mom & Jan H got most of it correct, but when you claim a horse, you also get their mascot/barn buddy, which is usually a goat. Many race horses have goats that tend to keep them calm & make them unattractive to a potential new owner. Not many barns want an extra mouth to feed, & many barns deplore goats! This is a well-known superstition on So Cal tracks! Also, as an ex-groom, I wish the trade-off went as smoothly as you described. There is usually a lot a bickering between the new & old owners & the horse ends up having their lives thrown into turmoil because the new owners have no access to the background of the horse & the old owners usually won't share their info because they are unhappy about losing the horse! Many times a horse is put in a claims race because they have to have so many races to their credit to stay on the track & no one expects a horse with slow training times to get claimed. A claimed horse doesn't just have a new owner...it also has a new barn & trainer, new caregivers, new schedules, new riders, new Vet, new feed, new everything & it is common that the horse is sick for the first few months after a claim.
2006-07-12 06:45:54 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the previous answer covers it but when the gates open it's your horse. The former owner gets the $ if any. But it's your horse...at the start, not at the end. If you put down $5000 and he breaks down he's your horse...if he wins he's your horse. It's a risk
2006-07-11 16:00:02 · answer #3 · answered by Jan H 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You claim you've won & hope noone asks you to prove it.
2006-07-11 12:06:02 · answer #4 · answered by Yohoho 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋