by Bill Heller, for the NYSS program, courtesy of the Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding and Development Fund

Latham, NY — For decades, racetrack management has pondered this vital question: “How do we get new people into the game?”

Well, reaching out to them might be a good start.

On Saturday (September 8) at Batavia Downs, the Harness Horse Breeders of New York State will host its “Seminar for New and Prospective Owners,” which is sponsored by the Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund. The seminar, which begins at 12:30 p.m. and costs $20 for an individual and $30 for a couple, includes a meal; live racing; a talk with owners and trainers; a tour of the track; a certificate to use the United States Trotting Association’s Pathway online service; and access to life-long follow-up services.

Discussions will include the actual costs of owning a horse; choosing a trainer; and the differences between buying a young horse or a proven claimer.

For information and/or to register call the HHBNYS at 518.785.5858 or e-mail the HHBNYS at info@hhbnys.com.

The goal of the seminar is simple: allowing people to find out if owning a racehorse is right for them. And that’s exactly what two individuals and a couple gleaned from last year’s HHBNYS seminar at Tioga Downs near Binghamton.

John Buettner, a retired stockbroker in Lancaster, N.Y., used to own horses. He drove 175 miles to attend the HHBNYS seminar at Tioga a year ago and is very happy he made the trip. He’s not only got involved, but he is now a co-owner of a talented 2-year-old trotting filly, Isabella Gal, a daughter of RC Royalty who has won two New York Sire Stakes divisions, bankrolled more than $54,000 and seems certain to qualify for the $225,000 NYSS final on the Night of Champions at Yonkers Raceway on September 22.

“I was out of the business for 14 years and I wanted to get back in,” Buettner said. “I wanted some information. Tioga was the closest seminar. They had (owner/trainer/driver) Ray Schnittker and several others. It was basically what I thought it would be. I got an idea of what it cost per month, and I met a bunch of people. I ended up meeting Bob Brooks. I wanted to go to a sale and buy a New York trotter. I wound up buying a piece of a horse he bred, Isabella Gal.”

Isabella Gal’s trainer, Jeff Long, is also a co-owner.

“I certainly give Jeff a lot of the credit,” Buettner said. “She went in 1:56.2 at Vernon (when she won a division of the NYSS by 3-3/4 lengths). She’s a really good filly. She won at Yonkers on my birthday. Do you believe that? I saw that race on the schedule six months earlier. It’s been great. I know how difficult this is to do.”

Buettner is sharing the experience with his wife, Patricia, and their 14-year-old daughter Veronika. “It’s been a lot of fun for my family,” he said. “They go to the races with me. It’s been very enjoyable. My daughter really loves the horses.”

Even though Isabella Gal broke in her last start in the NYSS at Batavia.

“It was frustrating, but it’s 2-year-old trotters,” Buettner said. “We’re looking forward to the rest of the year and hopefully next year. I got back in and I got lucky.”

Jerry and Jessica Verrigni attended last year’s Tioga seminar and decided to build their own facility for horses they are planning on buying.

“We felt the seminar was very informative and answered a lot of our questions and gave us a direction to pursue in the future,” Jerry said. “Basically, it let us know that we needed our own facility. We just purchased 67 acres of land and are reclaiming fields. That was the first step. Next we hope to build a barn. Then we will look to purchase horses either from a sale or a claiming event.”

Mike Breen, a retired television producer/director in Syracuse, also attended last year’s seminar. He, too, had owned horses previously.

“I went to the seminar to try to make contact with someone so I could get back in,” he said. “I couldn’t afford it myself, but I could as a partner. It was a great seminar. They had Ray Schnittker. Paul Kelley spoke. A race secretary spoke. It was an excellent seminar.”

Breen, however, didn’t take action until he saw this year’s Hambletonian on TV, which is rather appropriate if you think about it.

“They ran a spot for this partnership, the VIP Internet Stable,” he said. “I called and got the last share in (2-year-old filly pacer) Carnoustie. I was very lucky to get in because she had already won a race.”

Carnoustie, a daughter of Artiscape who was named for a golf course in Scotland, has done well in the Excelsior Series, which replaced the Sire Stakes’ Late Closer Series, and she seems likely to make the Excelsior Series final at Saratoga on September 21.

Carnoustie is expected to make her next start at Vernon Downs Friday night in another leg of the Excelsior, and Breen has invited his son, Tom, who lives in Orlando, Florida, to join him for the race.

“My son is very interested,” Breen said.

There may be a lot of people out there interested. All you have to do is keep reaching out to them.