just heard drivers are going to start charging $50 to qualify a horse

[MIKE CAMPBELL]

I don’t think that is a fair comparison. Although I think the idea of paying them for a qualifying drive isn’t right if they get the drive for purse money, they are risking their livelihood if they go down in a qualifying race. I don’t like the idea because I’m so used to drivers who just drive and shut up. These guys today aren’t half the drivers or horsemen of yesteryear.

Back in the day, drivers were horsemen. These punks that drive today are not.

[Yonkers1A]

Exactly! I had one of the primadonas drive a horse into the fence after the mile because she was hot behind the gate! There were 3ft slide marks on the track he was going so fast. The horse was sore behind afterwards and it ended up being a torn suspensory! He had about 375k lifetime and was set to make 100k for the 3rd year in a row! Never made another start! Had I known that it was my last trip to the track, I would have busted his teeth when he look forward after hanging the lines up! These guys have ego and attitudes because when they drive stupid and don't apologize, nobody speaks up!

This story could use some names

[Fuguzzi]

This story could use some names

Drivers charging today to Q a horse is obscene and offensive. I remember when drivers asked to Q a horse in the hopes they would retain the drive for real money. It is BS if true.

[jupiter]

Ya know Jigglin Jesus charged 10 bucks for each TT back in the day. His wife sat there with a note book and collected cash. I started giving drivers who Q'd for me 10 or 20 bucks. They didn't pick off my horses very often.

[Stan durbread]

They really don’t want to drive qualifiers for free anymore. They are asking all tracks to bill the owners $50 for a qualifying drive to stop trainers from putting them in to qualify if they aren’t ready to go. This should be interesting.

I’m m guessing you are talking about Hoosier. There and Illinois are the only places i know of where the drivers get paid for not getting a check in a race. On the east coast they only get paid if you do.

[Jazzman]

always pay my drivers for qualifing dont be so cheap

[Larry Bird Boy]

I’m m guessing you are talking about Hoosier. There and Illinois are the only places i know of where the drivers get paid for not getting a check in a race. On the east coast they only get paid if you do.

That’s the way it should be. Why should owners reward a driver for a bad drive? Stupidest rule they ever implemented. These drivers today all need to be bitch slapped.

[Dingus]

It’s not related to qualifiers, but at Running Aces, the driver gets $25 for finishing worse than 5th.

[Brkn Headpole]

Thats fine they can charge $50 per qua drive. Just negotiate drivers get 2.5% of purses won. They have zero overhead in maintaining the horse.

[Larry Bird Boy]

Thats fine they can charge $50 per qua drive. Just negotiate drivers get 2.5% of purses won. They have zero overhead in maintaining the horse.

I like your idea but it would never work because the owners won’t stick together. Just like when a new juice trainer suddenly appears and the big money owners go running to them, the same is true for the drivers. As soon as one of the catch drivers gets hot the owners go running to them kissing ass to get them to drive their horses. The top catch drivers could charge 10-15% if they wanted and the owners would still pay it. The owners and drivers are the only ones making any money in the business. And if you’re not a top 25 catch driver you’re not making any money either.

[old guy]

Ya know Jigglin Jesus charged 10 bucks for each TT back in the day. His wife sat there with a note book and collected cash. I started giving drivers who Q'd for me 10 or 20 bucks. They didn't pick off my horses very often.

It was $100

[augustaandy]

trainers should qualify their own horses, save the fee

[Fuguzzi]

Weight, anvil hands and lack of skill might make some horses miss - even as fast as they go now   LOL

[Yonkers1A]

T bred riders work horses in the morning hoping they can ride in a future race, these buggy people are nuts

[captain morgan]

I’m m guessing you are talking about Hoosier. There and Illinois are the only places i know of where the drivers get paid for not getting a check in a race. On the east coast they only get paid if you do.

Wrong. Some tracks on east coast are now giving $20-25 per drive that doesn't get a check