Joe Scurto has worn a lot of hats in his three decades, but the one he believes it best includes his passion and experience is “Racehorse ownership evangelist.” With that he “wants to connect people with racing horses in the meadow and on the circuit.”
Served as deputy director of the Minnesota Racing Commission and then the executive director of the Minnesota RaceHorse Engagement ProjectScurto has made its life’s work to grow the sport.
Scurto recently moved to Kentucky to be in the center of the industry. He shares with Bloodhorse the challenges with which he is confronted, how industry has evolved and why he is passionate about involvement at all levels.
Bloodhorse: You have had a wide range of roles in the industry, and the only thing that seemed to be a common thread is that these positions try to create and improve involvement. Why are you so passionate about involvement?
Joe Scurto: The fact is, firsthand experience. What is in the race industry, and more specifically, the possession of Renpaarden, has done something for me personally that just continues to build up the passion. So the fact that some of the best friends I have experienced the property of Renpaard, partnerships and groups that come together, the connections that I have made in the industry. This industry is full of some of the best people on earth, both from fans to the Executive Suite. It’s something I just want to share. If you think you have a small genius in the bottle, you just want to go out and share it, and that is what I have tried to do.
BRA: You recently moved to Kentucky. Why and why now?
JS: I think the key is what I did in Minnesota with the Racehorse Engagement Project was actually just a highlight of that passion to be able to involve people in ownership and aftercare, and unfortunately, as you know, some things that happened in Minnesota with wallet money, etc., it made it a bit difficult to continue that program. So really, the goal was to come to Kentucky here, which I have always enjoyed. My wife and I love Kentucky, and our few months here have already proven that it is a good decision, only with the people we have met and the things we have seen. But I think the goal was to reincarnate what we did in Minnesota with the RaceHorse Engagement project here in Kentucky. In Minnesota we could get 300 new owners when racing. We were able to get aftercare funding, which was at a level of just under $100,000 up to $300,000 per year for aftercare, being able to work with what I call forward thinking industry leaders like Andrew Offerman when he was at Canterbury Park, and now is at NYRA, Mike Cronin, Justin Revack with the HBPA there in Minnesota, and of Course, Randy Sampson, and Being Able to Take That and Maybe Replicate It Here in Kentucky.
BRA: What is the challenge to do that if you are in the state that is considered the hotbed for industry?
JS: Unfortunately it is down to staff, financing and finding the dedication. I mean, there are groups. Foliage Is there, what good work does, and they use their webinars for new owners. And the best racing in America is there, and they do well too. … Griffin Johnson has done something big this year, many people have interested. But then you have to cancel people, and you actually have to hold their hands a bit to explain the ownership, to make contacts and also have a variety of entry levels for people. The industry has microshares with Myracehorse and Wasabi Ventures Stables. But there are really levels with all these syndicates and partnerships such as BBN Racing, Taste of Victory who can get involved who operate here in Kentucky, and it is not all wins and the medallions and the Belladonna – The High End. We have to get people at a level that they are comfortable with, and that can be through syndicates, it can simply make direct contact with a trainer. But as you know, there are many entry thresholds in the sport, and we really need some leadership and continue and guidance, so that we can make it a lot easier for people.
BRA: You have had in the industry for more than three decades. What do you see now as the biggest change that took place at the time?
JS: Enough has been written about the shrinking foal crop and fewer racing tracks. I mean, I am originally from the Chicago area and to see tracks such as Arlington – my first job was in Arlington Park, and my wife and I married in Arlington Park – and if you see those tracks disappear, it will take a bit from you. But on the positive side, the things I have seen are the creation of the syndicates and people who also want to involve people in the syndicates; Most of them do not earn money. They just do it that they want to involve other people in the game. And so I see that something that is really positive for the industry … But we still have a long way to go, because these people do it alone, and they don’t get much support from the industry, and they do Yeoman’s training in trying people. If there was one all over the state or national effort to do this, I think we can really benefit from what you see in other countries such as Australia and even in Europe, where people become involved in fractional ownership and syndicates. So I think that’s coming.
BRA: You saw first -hand the challenges with which Minnesota is confronted, especially with regard to the wallet. Do you see a realistic solution that works for everyone?
JS: I don’t have the silver bullet in my pocket, but I do think that there is a path forward that if the industry maintains itself, and I am not saying that Kentucky’s wallet is spreading money to Minnesota, but do you know what? There is a place for good, solid, slower running horses for some of these traces. Now they are not allowed to go in 1:09 or 1:10; They can go in 1:12, but if you still had a field of 10 Go, that would be the most popular product on the market. And that is part of the aftercare that we have also worked on. Aftercare is great, but our goal is to make horses that are healthy and want to race and see if there are things that we can do to lower the overhead for owners, or just share the costs. There are plenty of people who spend money on Country Club contribution and season tickets, and even a trip to Disneyland or Disney World now costs you five Grand. You can enjoy a whole summer with the possession of a piece of a few running horses.
And a caveat is when I spoke with new owners in Minnesota, one of the first questions she always asked was what happens to my horse after it has finished racing? So that was very different than when I first started owning horses. That was a question that came much later.
BRA: You said that one of the first questions people are asking now is what happens to my horse after it has finished racing? Aftercare is something you are passionate about. How did you get involved in that side of the company for the first time?
JS: We were outside of that. We knew this was something that was percolaful. And the beauty is that we were connected in Minnesota with people who were passionate about horses, not necessarily thoroughly bleeding or racing. And one of the groups with whom we worked was called this old horse. And I believe that Nancy Turner is actually being recognized, which is great, because she has taken hundreds of horses in the past decade, of thoroughbreds, and she started completely, never had one or two thoroughbreds, but the key there can be repeated. And found some other partners. I started working with Abijah’s at the back, which is such a unique and wonderful program that uses retired thoroughbreds to work with First Responders and Veterans, Marine seals, veterans who come back with PTSD, and we work with them to get financing in the state legislation. … This industry is full of people who want to help. They just need a little direction and they need a mission.
BRA: What have we not talked about that you think our readers are important to know about you and what you do?
JS: Number one, they can always reach me personally if they want to come to Renpaard’s ownership. I take those phone calls. I am grateful for the fact that I can talk horses and horse races every day, both as a career and personal, I am grateful for that. But I really think that if it is one person or an organization, we as an industry need to develop those paths for people to take the next step, spend people, give their license, and we have to make the process easier. And we have to make it approachable.
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