As Thoroughbred racing heads into a new year, it faces the inevitable challenge of learning from the past 12 months and applying those lessons to a new year.
With 2026 at hand, BloodHorse has reprised its online year-end survey to ask some of the sport's leading individuals for their opinions on pertinent issues facing the sport.
Through Jan. 2 in the BloodHorse Daily and on www.bloodhorse.com, a select group of panelists will address issues such as the most exciting freshman sire for 2026, field size, what participants tell newcomers they like most about the sport, fixed-odds wagering, foal crop size, and the Triple Crown. We start the series with a question about bringing new fans, owners, and breeders into racing.
While realizing there are countless other voices, the hope is that these answers will spark meaningful discussion within the industry.
Anyone who would like to offer their opinion is encouraged to submit it in writing to editorial@bloodhorse.com for inclusion in our Letters to the Editor. Longer pieces can be considered for an Industry Voices column.
To access our 2023 year-end survey, please click the following link for a pdf version.
Responses were edited for style and clarity.
Question: Among participants in the sport, there seems to be a lot of confidence in racing right now. Are you seeing new people come to the sport as owners or breeders? What are some ideas for bringing in new people?
Louis Cella, owner and president of Oaklawn Park: I would disagree with the premise that there seems to be a lot of confidence in racing. I would suggest that there are pockets of confidence, with many racing jurisdictions having very little confidence in the sport.
Oaklawn Park is one of the few jurisdictions that are growing the sport. Our Dec. 12 opening experienced increases in both on and off-track business, as well as increased attendance. We averaged over 10 horses per race and saw a record number of new trainers and jockeys participating.
Our fan base consists of a growing number of fans, owners, trainers, and breeders. Not many, if any, racing jurisdictions can say that.
Our "Secret Sauce" is not so secret, as we regularly show other jurisdictions exactly what and how we implement these racing-centric programs.
Starting with our Show-Bet-Bonus, rewarding on-track fans with a 10% takeout on Show wagering, this pool represents over 20% of our on-track business. Lowering takeouts on our late Daily-Double and Pick-3s, our fans have jumped into these wagers. Offering a Reward Program for our on-track players where they can use their points earned to buy a steak dinner and a glass of wine in one of our Forbes-recommended restaurants, a soda and a hot dog in the stands, or shop in one of our gift shops, fans are signing up at a rapid pace.
For Club members, we offer a "Club Charge Card," which they can use in any venue on the property, including receiving a 10% discount on all gift shop items. This Membership-only Club has a waitlist to join. Because we own and operate all our food and beverage operations, we have an ability to keep prices affordable. Our focus is on our patrons: Hospitality, Southern Charm, Competitive Racing, and Affordable Food and Beverage. If we can stay focused on these things, fans will show up to wager on the best Thoroughbred horses in the most competitive fields for the highest purses during the winter/spring months of the year.
Visit Oaklawn and we will show you why we have great confidence in the sport.
Acacia Courtney-Clement: NYRA TV analyst: There does seem to be a certain excitement right now around being involved in horse racing, and I think we as a sport have done a reasonably good job of making ownership more attainable. Syndicates and partnership opportunities, of course, lessen the risk, but I also think strong purses and prestige play a huge role. On America's Day at the Races and Saratoga LIVE, we've worked to emphasize what a big deal it is to win a race, at any level, at a place like Saratoga.
As someone who did not grow up in the industry, I understand how daunting it can be when entering into the world of horse racing. There's so much information, and I've noticed that sometimes people just don't know where to start if they're interested in becoming an owner or breeder. The most common questions I get have to do with monthly and/or yearly cost of horse ownership, what age horse to buy (yearling, 2-year-old, older horse in training, etc.), and plans for a horse after their racing career is complete. Of course, we should show how fun and enjoyable it can be, but I think one of the best things we can do to attract new owners is to provide easy access to information on what it entails.
Horse ownership can sometimes also be a test in patience for a new owner, especially if purchasing a yearling or mare in foal, meaning that they will not be able to see that horse on the track for at least one to two years. I always feel that the best course of action for new owners is purchasing a horse that is already active, whether from a horses of racing age sale in America or Europe or through private purchase. The risk will be lower, as you'll know that horse's talent level already, and, most importantly, you'll have action sooner. At the end of the day, nothing sells horse racing better than the feeling of winning a race. If only we could bottle that.
Everett Dobson, Jockey Club Chair: Yes, new owners and breeders are joining the sport every day due in no small part to the recent changes in tax rules allowing 100% of the purchase price of horses to be deducted in the year the horse is placed in service.
With the 2025 sales season concluded, the statistics show more buyers are spending more money than ever before. At the industry benchmark Keeneland September yearling auction:
- 18 buyers spent $5 million or more, compared to 14 last year.
- 120 buyers spent $1 million or more, compared to 96 last year.
- 56 seven-figure horses sold to a record 34 unique buyers.
- 266 horses sold for $500,000 or more versus 185 last year.
And Fasig-Tipton's digital sale, which closed Dec. 10, set a world record for an online Thoroughbred auction with $10.6 million.
The Jockey Club supports many initiatives focused on bringing new people to the sport—from the marketing initiatives of America's Best Racing to the informative outreach of OwnerView.
As we look to grow the sport and invite broader participation, it is imperative that we support the regional markets. The Jockey Club and Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association recently hosted a breeders workshop to identify best practices from multiple jurisdictions. We will build upon this momentum with face-to-face meetings and mini-workshops throughout the year.
In 2026, The Jockey Club will build on the success of American Best Racing by supporting an industrywide collaborative marketing effort to attract new people to the sport.
As I said at the Round Table Conference in August: "No matter how you engage with our sport, one thing is clear: We have a powerful story to tell, one of momentum, one of passion and promise. The excitement of betting, owning, or breeding a racehorse is alive and well across this country every single day."
Griffin Johnson, owner and social media influencer: I definitely feel that confidence, and it's real. You're seeing momentum again from longtime participants and also a new wave that never pictured themselves in racing before. I've personally seen new owners and partners come in from outside the traditional racing bubble: entrepreneurs, athletes, creators, investors who are used to fast-moving, modern industries. They're curious, they're engaged, and once they experience it firsthand, they get hooked pretty quickly.
The biggest opportunity for bringing in new people is accessibility and storytelling. Racing is an incredible sport, but it can feel intimidating from the outside. We have to keep pulling back the curtain & letting people see the barn mornings, the ownership experience, the wins and the losses. When people feel emotionally connected, not just financially invested, everything changes. Social media, behind-the-scenes access, and partnerships that meet people where they already are culturally are huge for that.
Dan Metzger, president of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association: The record-setting sales in September and November were remarkable and a reflection of a renewed interest in Thoroughbred racing from investors. Much of this is due to the favorable bonus depreciation schedule in the One Big Beautiful Bill, but not all.
Our sport boasts one of the most highly visible, televised and attended sporting events in the world in the Kentucky Derby (G1), our year-end championship at the Breeders' Cup, as well as other major event race days and meets at marquee tracks such as Del Mar, Gulfstream Park, Keeneland, Oaklawn Park, Santa Anita Park, and Saratoga Race Course.
The stunning serenity of our horse farms is an invaluable asset that needs to be a central component of any national marketing effort to draw new people to our sport. We have witnessed several institutional initiatives over the years to attract new owners to our sport, but most have fallen short of expectations, largely due to a lack of centralization and long-term commitment.
Social media has changed the landscape of communications, and any approach must have multi-levels of marketing to draw interest from potential new owners and breeders. One of the encouraging success stories has been the emergence of racing partnerships and their proven track record in attracting new investment, and as an industry, we need to draw upon their experiences in bringing in new owners.
With the Thoroughbred as the centerpiece of our sport, we have the greatest game in the world.
Tom Rooney, CEO and president of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association: There is no doubt that the new tax advantages are good for owners and the sales and breeding sectors of the industry. As for attracting fans, when I went to the Kentucky Derby this year, the crowd was predominantly young people. The Belmont Stakes (G1) and the Saratoga season was a healthy mix of every demographic.
But it was really the Haskell Stakes (G1) at the Jersey Shore and the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) where I was struck by the number of young people. We are clearly making an impact and getting their attention on our biggest days, but we have to capitalize on the challenge of getting more of their attention on a regular basis.
Right now, there are more people in the country than ever with online wagering accounts. Further integration into leading sports books combined with promotion will be key. It may be time to experiment with fixed odds on select races, and we have to be conscious of prediction markets and how our sport will need to adapt. But there's an opportunity to get our product in front of new audiences that enjoy wagering.
