I’m pretty fond of a horse that will be making its first start at Emerald Downs as a three year old and I’m curious if there are any sort of protections for horses in this situation to keep them from being claimed. I know the 2yo maiden races have a 25k claim tag that discourages most from buying out of that class, but I haven’t seen anything similar for older maidens and first-time-starters. The closest thing I can think of are the optional claiming races… I’ve communicated my intent to purchase this horse when it is done racing, and it would be easier for this to come to fruition if it actually stayed with the current trainer.
If i understand your question, the short answer is no. You apparently don’t currently own the horse but have some kind of arrangement with the current trainer. (Is the trainer the current owner as well because it is the owner you have to have an arrangement with not the trainer…?)
The problem is that the horse won’t just run one race unless he is incredibly unlucky. Also your chance to purchase might realistically come three years and five trainers from now.
Finally the protections that you are talking about are in place in certain jurisdictions for the benefit of the owner to prevent someone else from taking advantage of the expense a long rehab and consequently encouraging the owners to give their horses breaks and rehab them. They are not intended to “protect” a horse from being claimed out of a debut.
Alas you are at the mercy of whatever the owner chooses to do.
Also emerald downs is done in 3 weeks so you will want to find outhe where the horse is going next.
They DO write maiden special weights for older horses if the trainer thinks the horse is good enough.
An update, I suppose: The colt was held back this summer because of an injury, so I suspect he’ll be covered under that policy for his first start, and this trainer usually runs their horses for higher tags than most are willing to claim for, so I’m increasingly less worried about this.
[QUOTE=hideaway;8884162]
An update, I suppose: The colt was held back this summer because of an injury, so I suspect he’ll be covered under that policy for his first start, and this trainer usually runs their horses for higher tags than most are willing to claim for, so I’m increasingly less worried about this.[/QUOTE]
Or he’ll end up with a lower tag if the trainers finds out he didn’t rehab well, and just wants him gone.
I’m not sure I’m understanding your question completely but if a horse is running in a claiming race (not an optional claimer where a horse may not have a claiming tag), anyone can claim the horse. The question is usually if the horse is worth the tag or how badly someone wants said horse.
[QUOTE=gotpaints;8884912]
I’m not sure I’m understanding your question completely but if a horse is running in a claiming race (not an optional claimer where a horse may not have a claiming tag), anyone can claim the horse. The question is usually if the horse is worth the tag or how badly someone wants said horse.[/QUOTE]
There are some tracks that are giving a horse one start to get back up to speed where they can not be claimed. I assume that is what the OP is referring to.
[QUOTE=Laurierace;8885124]
There are some tracks that are giving a horse one start to get back up to speed where they can not be claimed. I assume that is what the OP is referring to.[/QUOTE]
Ah. Good to know. I assumed from the “I know the 2yo maiden races have a 25k claim tag that discourages most from buying out of that class” that it was running for a tag. That’s what I get for assuming.
Emerald offers waiver claiming races for horses that get the winter off, allowing them to run for the same price they ran for the previous season, but not be eligible to be claimed in their first start of the next season.
[QUOTE=mht;8884556]
Or he’ll end up with a lower tag if the trainers finds out he didn’t rehab well, and just wants him gone.[/QUOTE]
If he doesn’t rehab well and they just want him gone, the trainer knows that my friend and I will show up with a trailer to haul him off at a moment’s notice. I haven’t been remotely subtle about my intent or seriousness.
Yes, the 2yo tags are typically 25k, but he won’t run until next year as a 3yo. He’ll probably run for a tag, but this trainer tends to run their older horses above what most trainers are willing to spend on a claim at this particular track.
