Standardbreds (harness horses) are significantly more durable than their thoroughbred cousins and on average they race three times more often per season than a thoroughbred.  This means that you the owner get better value for your money and importantly you get to go the races and share in the thrill of seeing your horse compete more often.

Furthermore, harness horses will often race for many more seasons than a typical thoroughbred. It is not uncommon in harness racing for horses to be racing for seven or more consecutive seasons and to amass well over 100 starts throughout its lifetime. Some harness horses can even reach up to 300 starts throughout their career! This level of longevity in thoroughbred racing is simply unheard of.

The cost of buying and training a harness horse is also significantly less than a typical thoroughbred and this is one of the reasons why its more attractive for new people to experience ownership for the first time.

When you put the cheaper cost alongside more racetrack appearances on average and longer careers on average, it’s not hard to see why harness racing offers fantastic value for owners.