Who is an owner? What's your story?

Originally Posted by phystech

Started out in an internet based partnership over 11 years ago. $400 buy-in so I figured, what the hell..... Won three or four races with that group of 50 people and had a fun time. Learned a LOT without risking a bunch of money.

Joined a group in Maryland that splintered off of the internet group, and had a chance to help manage that group. Learned a lot more over the next two years and picked up a few more win photos along the way.

This sounds like a really good way to start out! Did you know much about the sport prior to that first partnership? How did you find a partnership with 50 ppl in it? That seems like a lot of people!

I imagine that it's a great way to learn a lot in a short period of time. Did you always live near the horses you owned? Part of my hesitation here is it seems many of the partnership are in the KY area or in NY. Probably I'm not looking in the right places, because it seems there should be quite a few opportunities in So Cal, as well.

Thanks so much for the response!

[phystech]

Originally Posted by DropofHope

This sounds like a really good way to start out! Did you know much about the sport prior to that first partnership?

I knew just enough to be able to make somewhat reasonable judgements about my involvement. And yet, once I got in, I realized I didn't know as much as I thought I did. I grew up going to the track with my father, as he was a big fan of racing. I was introduced to the backstretch by my high school friends who's father was a big name trainer in MD, at the time. Both friends have gone on to be very successful trainers in their own right.

Originally Posted by DropofHope

How did you find a partnership with 50 ppl in it? That seems like a lot of people!

Through an internet newsgroup. Indeed it was a lot of people - and there's good and bad about that. We were all very new, if not completely new, to the ownership portion of racing. It was trying at times but it was quite a learning experience. I could afford to lose $400 so I took the chance. Had it been a $1k or more buy-in at the time, I probably wouldn't have done it.

Originally Posted by DropofHope

Did you always live near the horses you owned? Part of my hesitation here is it seems many of the partnership are in the KY area or in NY. Probably I'm not looking in the right places, because it seems there should be quite a few opportunities in So Cal, as well.

The first partnership was based in MD so, yes, I was near the horse and was able to go to all of the races. Lots to be said for that. And yet, even though I still live in MD, I joined KY based DT Stable because it's easy enough to fly to most of the tracks we might run at. Southwest makes it affordable.....