How much do race horse trainers make?
In the USA, there are trainers who are retained on salary by their stable owners, but there are few totally private racing stables like this these days. Most trainers are public trainers, meaning that they train for anyone who wants to hire them. Public trainers charge a “day rate”. That is a set fee per day that covers all the horse’s normal daily expenses. (Out of this, the trainer pays for feed, hay, bedding, riders, grooms, tack, insurance, that sort of thing.) The day rate generally varies by the caliber of the racetrack or area of the country the trainer is at, or by the caliber of the trainer himself. For instance, at Saratoga, a normal day rate might be $125.00 per day or more for a major trainer, or somewhat less for an unknown, while at Suffolk Downs, a normal day rate might go as low as $25.00 per day. The day rate does not include vet work, shipping or farrier services, all of which are paid seperately by the owner. On top of a day rate, the trainer usually gets a percentag
