NY Racehorse Retirement Stats

I have heard about "pensioned" or "retired" racehorses disappearing from the face of the earth, so I am wondering how many of these "so called" retired or pensioned horses are actually still around. Seems what is needed is someone (some org) to keep track of these horses even after they are "retired";

2007 RETIRED RACE HORSE SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS

1 There were 1,845 race horses retired in 2007 by 1,108 owners living in
New York.
That equates to nearly 1.7 horses per owner that retired a horse.

2 Seventy-nine percent of the horses reported in the survey were retired in
New York
with the remaining 21 percent retired out of state. Less than 1 percent was
retired out of
country. Seventy-six percent of thoroughbreds and 84 percent of
standardbreds were retired
in New York.

3 Of the horses reported retired, 28 percent were still sound for racing.
Only 2 percent
were unsound and needed euthanizing. Thirty-one percent of thoroughbreds
and 24 percent
of standardbreds were still sound for racing.

4 Injury or lack of soundness and lack of economic viability were the
primary reasons
given for retiring race horses. Only 3 percent had reached the mandatory
retirement age and
11 percent were retired to breed. Forty-one percent of thoroughbreds and 39
percent of
standardbreds were retired due to injury or lack of soundness.

5 Over one-half of the horses that were retired had less than $2,000 spent for
retirement. Over $8,000 was spent of 16 percent of the horses. Fifty-five
percent of
standardbreds and 49 percent of thoroughbreds had less than $2,000 spent
for retirement.

6 Of the horses reported retired in 2007 by gender, geldings were of 46
percent, mares
were of 23 percent, fillies were of 21 percent, and colts were of 10
percent of the horses.
Standardbred geldings accounted for 50 percent of the standardbred horses
retired, while
thoroughbred geldings accounted for 43 percent of the thoroughbred horses
retired.

7 Of the horses reported by class last raced in, the primary races were
Allowance and
Claiming $4,999 and below. Only 1 percent raced in Claiming $50,000+ in the
last race.
Nine percent of thoroughbreds and 1 percent of standardbreds raced Claiming
$25,000-
$49,999 in their last race.

8 Seventy-three percent of the reported horses retired in 2007 had 2007
earnings of
less than $25,000. Only 3 percent of horses had earnings of
$75,000-$99,999. The 2007
earnings for thoroughbreds and standardbreds were significantly different.

9 Over two-thirds of the reported horses retired in 2007 had less than
$49,999 in
lifetime earnings. Horses with over $100,000 in lifetime earnings accounted
for 17 percent
of the horses. Twenty percent of standardbreds and 14 percent of
thoroughbreds had over
$100,000 in lifetime earnings

10 Over seventy percent of the reported retired horses were between the
ages of 3 and 6.
Twenty percent of standardbreds and 4 percent of thoroughbreds retired were
over the age of
10.

11 Of the major networks used for placement, 54 percent arranged private
placement.
Other networks were of 17 percent of the networks used. Both standardbred and
thoroughbred owners listed private placement as the primary networks used
for placement.

12 Of the respondents perceiving there are buyers for retired horses, 51
percent agreed
and 26 percent disagreed. Also, 23 percent of respondents were uncertain.
There were no
significant differences between thoroughbred and standardbred owners.
- 2 -

13 Twenty-six percent of respondents were uncertain if they would take back
a horse
previously owned or bred by them. Twenty-one percent of respondents
strongly disagreed
with taking back a horse previously owned or bred by them. Forty-one percent of
thoroughbred owners and 39 percent of standardbred owners responded they
would take
back a horse previously owned or bred by them.

14 Of the horses taken back by owners after retirement, 93 percent reported
taking back
1-5 horses. Only 4 percent reported taking back more than 8 horses. Two
percent of
standardbred owners and 6 percent of thoroughbred owners reported taking
back more than
8 horses.

15 Forty-eight percent of those responding to the survey agreed they would
pay to retire
a horse. Twenty-five percent were uncertain. Thirty-three percent of
standardbred owners
and 21 percent of thoroughbred owners disagreed with paying to retire a horse.

16 Of respondents willing to pay to retire a horse, 44 percent would pay a
monthly fee
of $150-$200, 28 percent would pay a lifetime fee of $2,500, and only 1
percent would pay
a lifetime fee of $10,000. Fifty-four percent of standardbred owners and 36
percent of
thoroughbred owners would pay a monthly fee of $150-$200.

17 Sixty-five percent of respondents would support a voluntary payment fund.
Seventeen percent of respondents would not support a voluntary payment
fund. And
eighteen percent of respondents were uncertain. Seventy-one percent of
thoroughbred
owners and 57 percent of standardbred owners agreed in supporting a
voluntary payment
fund.

18 Of those responding to the survey 43 percent would support a mandatory
payment
fund. Thirty-seven percent would not support a mandatory payment fund.
Twenty percent
of respondents were uncertain. Forty-two percent of standardbred owners and
32 percent of
thoroughbred owners would not support a mandatory payment fund.

19 Of the respondents that would support a mandatory payment fund, 36 percent
would pay $5 per race start. Twenty-six percent of respondents would pay
$25 per race start.
Thirty-six percent of thoroughbred owners and 9 percent of standardbred
owners would pay
$25 per race start.
Of the respondents that would support a mandatory payment fund, 76 percent
would pay
1% or less of the winning purse. There were no significant differences
between thoroughbred
and standardbred owners.

20 Respondents were able to select all applicable responses, so the percent
response does
not sum to 100 percent. Of the respondents indicating who helps in finding
a home for their
retired horses, 54 percent reported the trainer helped. Forty-six percent
reported other
sources that helped retire the horses. Fifty-eight percent of thoroughbred
owners and 49
percent of standardbred owners indicated the trainer helped in finding a
home for
retirement.