Trackmomma wrote:I have tried to post in this thread for days and couldn't get it to go through... dang internet connection. Anyway...
Whenever I have groomed I made $100 a week per horse and never groomed more than 4 regularly. I say regularly because stuff happens and you occasionally get stuck with an extra horse for a little while (4 horses per groom is standard at most tracks though training centers are completely different and you will see guys from Los Al or Pomona who have 2 grooms for 15 horses. Of course the horses go to the track dirty, but there you go). So figure, about $14.30 a day per horse.
Hot walkers make about $350 a week and walk 5-7 horses a day. Split the difference and call it 6 makes it about $8.33 per horse.
Exercise riders are $15 per horse. Works are $20 if you don't get a jock to come do it for free.
Workman's Comp is now $3 per day per allocated stall. They say it is per racehorse in training but the stall superintendent is counting ponies stabled in the barn area and adding it to the trainer's tab so basically a warm body in a stall gets you charged.
Hay and bedding at current prices is around $30 a day. If you count grain and supplements you can tack on another $20-25.
So lets see $14.30+8.33+15+3+30+20= $90.63 a day per horse.
Now consider there are a lot of trainers out there charging considerably less than the $95 a day you mention, there are many trainers out there that don't make money on the day rate. However, there are many trainers out there charging upwards of $150 a day that are doing just fine.
Sharp post. Top veteran grooms have ways of generating a little extra cash. Traditionally they receive 1% of winning purse. Doesn't seem like much but every little bit helps. Often times owners will give them a handshake tip when they visit their horses. Jocks who win stakes will also usually drop a check by for the barn. Rosario, Garcia and Tyler were always very good about this. I remember taking a check to Carla Gaines' barn from Joel after Dancing In Silks won the BC. $1500 and a fully catered Mexican feast. Workers from other barns also stopped by and enjoyed. Good memories.