[Fox Wood Farm]

I tried a lovely TB yesterday and am very serious about buying him to be a nice all-rounder. I have owned several OTTBs and love them. But this horse isn't an OT TB. He was race-bred in MD. I thought he had been on the track and race-trained, just never ran. He is listed in equibase as an unraced 2007 Horse.

I thought he would have a tattoo, but he does not. He is now a gelding. And now I wonder if he was ever on a training track at all.

So, when does a TB's info go into Equibase? When it is first registered? I read the JC info about changing to a gelding, but that only seems to work if the horse is racing.

When do they actually get a tattoo?

So, how often does a TB colt go to the track to train, not be gelded while he was training, and pulled off the track without any starts and without a tattoo? And then sold on with papers to a sport horse career...

Maybe this happens all the time. Just seemed weird to me and makes me wonder about injuries?

Thanks...

[Laurierace]

They generally have to be tattooed before their first start but some places will let you run once without one. Other than that, it can be at any time. The only thing you can say pretty sure due to not having a tattoo is he never raced. Obviously if his race record is listed as unraced, then he did not.If no one ever reports the gelding there is no way for equibase or the jockey club to know about it. At the track the horse ID person would handle that when he got to the paddock for his first race which never happened.

[Simkie]

I *think* they can be pulled up on equibase once they've had a published work. I don't know, however, if there is a way to pull up his workouts. It won't show on equibase--after a couple days, they disappear. Published works might show on a purchased past performance report?

[Langfuhr]

It happens all the time. Some dont want to spend $60/head for tattoos right off the bat, so they wait until closer to racetime. My boss tattoos them once they turn 2 regardless, even if they never make it to the track, it ensures they are identifiable. Because as we know, a lot can happen to horses between Monday and tue

[Calamber]

The case of the slows and any number of financial considerations can have the horse in training, trained to the gate, worked consistently and even have published works. I do not think equibase keeps lists for works. Not sure about the tracks because I do know in the case of Charles Town in WVa, that they published the works on the tracks page after every workout. They might keep a database? It does not have any bearing necessarily on whether the horse stayed sound or not. You could try and find the trainer if you knew the track, call the racing office if you do happen to know where if he had been training.

[jennywho]

Brisnet has a report where you can pull workouts. If you give me his registered name I can check

[Calamber]

Brisnet has a report where you can pull workouts. If you give me his registered name I can check

Well that is interesting, thanks.

[Fox Wood Farm]

Brisnet has a report where you can pull workouts. If you give me his registered name I can check

His JC name is Let's Go Ravens. Breeder is Rosalee Davison. Now at least 2 owners removed, plus sale via (very reputable) sport horse trainer.

Thanks to everybody for the info!

[starlitlaughter]

I have three OTTBs, and only one is tattooed - she got hers a week before she was scheduled to run her first race, but unfortunately never made it to the races and retired without ever starting. The other two trained at the track, but never started for one reason or another and came back to the farm.

So like others have said above, it's possible he could have been training at the track and just never made it for a number of reasons - slow, injuries/not holding up, lack of owner's funds, etc.

[halo]

A thoroughbred can be in training for a long time before even going to a race track. They can be at a training center in training for 6 months or more before even shipping to a track.

[jennywho]

Here they are

2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dec18 LRL 3F ft :37.40 B 8/18
Dec07 LRL 3F ft :36.60 B 1/2
Nov29 LRL 3F ft :37.00 B 6/13
Nov21 LRL 3F ft :38.00 B 6/9

[Calamber]

Well, there you are. Call Laurel racing office and see who was training the boy, maybe they can give you whatever it is that you are looking to find out. I cannot imagine they could tell anything from 4 3f works, so unless he was injured or they ran out of funds, there should be the story. Totally possible someone decided they did not want him to be a race horse and directed him to be sold intact as a sport horse propect, if he was a kind colt at 2 they could have thought that gave him his best possible future.

[Fox Wood Farm]

Thanks jennywho for the info. And calember - I agree - not sure what those 4 workouts could have told anybody! I did have a separate inquiry working back thru the horse. This info jives that he was never in serious training and was sold when they downsized for financial reasons.

Cool - their loss is maybe my new hunt/hack/horse trial pony!!

[alto]

Don't forget, PHOTOS as soon as he's yours!!!