Sometimes people laugh at first when I tell them the name of my business, Profitable Horseman. A few even ask if Profitable Horseman is an oxymoron.
I smile and say nothing.
And after a few uncomfortable seconds the other person will ask,
“So how do you do it?”
” Do what…?”
“You know, how do you make a profit with horses?”
After watching the Kentucky Derby last Saturday, my answer will be different. The answer will be the dreaded question answering a question.
My response question will be, “Do you believe you can earn a profit in the horse business?”
And whether your answer is yes, no or I dunno, you are certainly right.
Because the first sale in your business is to yourself.
If you aren’t sold on your ability to accomplish your dream than no one else will be either.
Tom McCarthy of Louisville, Kentucky is a lifelong horseman sold on his ability.
He’s been buying, training and racing Thoroughbreds since 1960. An annual Kentucky Derby regular spectator since 1955, he’d only dreamed for decades of making the walk with his own horse from the backside to the paddock area on Derby day.
After the Derby race last Saturday, even though his horse General Quarters wasn’t in the winner’s circle, the seventy five year old trainer and owner stood proudly in his personal winner’s circle. It was a long trip and he didn’t get there by chance.
His eye for talent and his training ability with General Quarters resulted in a win at the Bluegrass Stakes in early April. Take your pencil and underline the lifetime earnings with his colt of $641,000 after the Bluegrass win. No calculator is necessary to diagnose a healthy profit for the original $20,000 investment in the colt.
Is professional horseman Tom McCarthy a retired high school principal who just got lucky?
Jockey Calvin Borel is a professional horseman who is sold on his ability, too.
Humble, hard working and emotional, he understands persistence and showing up for work every day. From a less than sophisticated start in bush track racing in Louisiana, Calvin labored in the work he loved until he and Street Sense found their way into the winner’s circle at the 2007 Derby.
Success loves a hard worker and Borel proved it with his combo at Churchill last week with wins at both The Kentucky Oaks on Friday and the Derby on Saturday.
Success as a professional horseman isn’t reserved for the rich; just ask Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai who has spent tens of millions in an empty handed grab for a Derby win.
Success is reserved for everyone on the unlevel playing field of life who is passionate and hardworking.
And that’s because passion and hard work eventually draft luck to your team to make the difference for you.
Ask Tom McCarthy why he got a second chance to buy General Quarters.
Ask Calvin Borel why holes open up on the rail just when he needs them.
Your story is your story and success for you can only be defined by you. And only your positive attitude about your ability will lead the way to your success.
Negativity is the advance man for Failure.
So I want to ask you again, do you believe you can earn a profit in the horse business?