I am in the market for an OTTB, after a little more looking it has come to my attention that breeders and racing tracks sell their horses much cheaper than sale barns and if you have a good eye for a good horse you might find the right one. The problem is that I can’t seem to find any listings online apart from tracks up in the northeast/Kentucky area, I live down in Florida, so I was wondering if there was any breeders or trainers that have maybe a Facebook page or website where they list their horses for sale. I have looked into websites like canter but most of the horses are too far away for me to travel (Unless they ship but that would probably be a different problem on its own)
If you could also add what a sale like this would entail for us first-time buyers. thanks
I know trainers who buy off the back stretch but I have rarely seen an ad selling direct from race training. The trainers I know have personal contacts at the track
Basically I think they get to see the horse trotted out in hand and that’s it. No vet check. No test ride.
Do you know any trainers in Florida who “buy off the back stretch 
”?
The OP is in Florida and seems to be looking for contacts there.
OP, there are several folks here that are in Florida and may be able steer you in the right direction.
I am not one of them either, but wishing you good luck.
One of the members of the hunt club is a veterinarian as well as an excellent rider. She contacted the nearest track veterinarian and asked to be introduced to any trainers with suitable horses —three or four times (maybe more) she has gone to the track, watched the horses work, and vet-checked them herself --this has worked out for her – Also, on CANTER in MI website, there are links and photos of horses owned by trainers who are looking to place them. Perhaps contact the Thoroughbred Rescue near where you are?
Typically track trainers sell direct to people they know. Many exercise riders/grooms also ride and put in dibs for horses they like. Groups like CANTER (in many states) and FLTAP (Finger Lakes, NY) have space for listing of horses by trainers.
TBH, trainers often find dealing with non racing buyers to be a hassle. Horses get sold quickly on the track (usually via claiming races) without a bunch of vetting or asking of questions. Questions about suitability or soundness are things trainers don’t want to be held responsible for answering. After it all many trainers then see the buyer go on social media and say they RESCUED this horse off the track!
Another issue is that unless you have a license you can’t get on a horse that’s at the track. If the trainer can get you a pass, you might be able to come out to see him train so you see how he moves and acts.
You say first time buyer. An ottb is probably not the best choice for you. There is a reason why they are cheaper.
First time buyer, generally, a young horse is also not the best thing for you to purchase. JMHO.
It’s been ages since I’ve bought an OTTB, but those I did, I bought through personal contacts.
As in so many things in life, it depends on who you know
The best time to purchase a horse direct off the track is near the end of the scheduled racing season at that track. Until then, owners and trainers still have “hope”. At the end of the meet, horses who are not working out well as racehorses are not the ones that owners are going to continue paying the bills on. Rather than move them to a farm, or to another track for further racing, they would prefer to sell. Owners that are also breeders and horsemen in their own right, and may have their own farm will often bring horses home after the racing season, or if they have finished their race career. You can buy direct from them at their farm. Find out who they are in your area.
Since you are not licensed by a racetrack, you may have a problem getting in the gate. It depends on the track how sticky they are about this. Larger, better quality tracks tend to be more strict than lower level tracks. But you CAN be “signed in” by someone who wants to escort you in, usually a trainer who would like to show you a horse they have available for sale. Once inside the gate, you may wander from barn to barn, asking if someone has a horse for sale that you might be interested in. So, your key is to find someone to sign you in. There are often bulletin boards at gates, post your intention there, and perhaps someone will contact you about a horse they would like to sell.
When you successfully gain entrance to the back side of the track (stabling area), you must have basic knowledge of good manners and safety practices at the track. If you don’t, you will get nowhere, and are susceptible to injury. Always stay on the handler’s side of a horse, otherwise you will be kicked. Don’t just walk into people’s barns, and look at their horses… ASK if they have a horse they want to show you that they would like to sell. Remember that it is not a petting zoo, and that trainers are very protective of their horses, do not want strangers in their barn or touching their horses. Do not feed any horse anything. Do not touch any horse that you do not have permission to touch. It isn’t like a show horse barn, in any way. You can not ride any horse that is for sale. But you can pay a licensed exercise rider to ride the horse, so that you can see it go, on the track, with the trainer’s permission. It is likely that you will have to come back another day, during training hours, to do this. Keep in mind that any horse that is being offered for sale may have soundness issues, which may or may not be apparent, and which may or may not be disclosed to you. It is unlikely that any racetrack veterinarian will “vet” the horse for you, they already have a relationship with the trainer, not you, and rarely do this anyway. Racetrack vets are very different from show horse vets. Know which soundness issues you can handle, which you will accept as short term and not an issue for you, and which you are not going to be able to handle. If you get the chance, privately ask barn staff or exercise riders about a horse you are interested in, see if they give you an answer you like. But keep in mind that many racetrack workers have no idea what might make a sport horse prospect, and loyalty to their employer is paramount.
Good luck. This is the way OTTB purchase used to be done, in the days before the “placement” services were invented. Some people prefer to go with the the “middleman” of a placement service, and some services work well. Others, not so much. IMO, there is an advantage to deal direct with the race trainers and owners and breeders, and grow a personal relationship with them over time. You will meet the full spectrum of people at the track, from the very skilled, fully honest horsemen, to the chareltons and crooks. It is up to you to discern which is which.
You say you are in Florida… Florida has Gulfstream Park, Tampa Bay Downs, Gulfstream Park West (all tracks), Palm Meadows TB Training Center.
Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs are currently racing. Gulfstream Park West is not. Tampa Bay Down’s meet ends at the end of May IIRC.
All options if you’re looking for an ‘off the track’ option.
A Facebook page called OTTB market has a lot of horse for sale in Florida.
