By Patrick F. Cannon

Back in January 2022, I bought a small share in three thoroughbred racehorses trained by the highly successful Chad Brown. Some time ago, I reported in this space on my experience with this new venture. I thought it was time to give an update.

            As a reminder, I buy my small shares through an organization called My Racehorse, which buys young horses at auction, then sells small shares to goofballs like me. Over the years, they have purchased a Kentucky Derby winner, Authentic in 2020, last year’s champion sprinter, Straight No Chaser, and many other winners and stakes winners. Over the years, I have had shares in five noble steeds. Not a winner among them.

I have been going to the races since 1957, and have been to numerous tracks in this country, and in England, Ireland, France, and Hong Kong. Before I bought my shares, I was fully aware that only about 7 in 10 thoroughbred foals ever make it to the races; and only 5 in 10 will ever win a race. But hope springs eternal.

One of my first steeds is Ein Gedi, a filly bred in Ireland, purchased at a sale in this country as a two-year old for $600,000. She got to the races later in 2022, finishing seventh, then fifth. She was a lovely filly, but her trainer suggested she just wasn’t terribly interested in being a race horse, so she was sold as a broodmare prospect for $200,000. The buyer sent her back to Ireland. Another in the first group was Three Jewels, a son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. He cost $320,00 as a yearling (one-year-old). Poor guy had a series of physical setbacks and didn’t get to the races until he was four. He finished eighth, soon suffered a minor injury, and was retired. He is alive and well in a horsey retirement home.

Last in that group was the filly Night Combat, who never made it to the races. She had been a relative bargain at $100,000. She fetched the princely (or is it princessly?) sum of $1,000 at auction and is now in California as a broodmare.

Two of my horses are still in training. One, Secret Crush (his sire is Candy Ride!) has earned $27,00 back of his $300,000 purchase price. So far, he has finished third and second and has shown some promise. He had a bit of a fever, but he should get back to racing soon. Finally, my latest purchase, the now three-year-old filly, Reputation, has started twice and earned $4,500 back of her $450,000 purchase price. I think she will eventually win but is unlikely to win back her purchase price. But females have a residual value as broodmares, so maybe I’ll get lucky. As a winner (I pray), her breeding suggests a substantial value.

Before you take up a collection for me, I have only spent about $600 total for the joys and frustrations of horse ownership. And, unlike a real owner, I don’t have to pay recurring bills for training, feeding, and veterinary services. The average cost of keeping a thoroughbred horse in training is about $40,000 a year. As far as I’m concerned, my $600 gives me cheap thrills (well, not yet, but one lives in hope!).

Copyright 2025, Patrick F. Cannon