TOBA to host owners seminar at Horseshoe Indianapolis during Indiana Derby Day

Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association is putting its ownership push right in the middle of a major racing day. TOBA will host its New Owners Seminar on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at Horseshoe Indianapolis in Shelbyville, Indiana, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., with registration including a complimentary breakfast, educational programming and a lunch voucher redeemable at the track.

The setup is deliberate. TOBA says the seminar is aimed at prospective and new Thoroughbred owners and will walk participants through the basics of racehorse ownership, how to select and manage horses, how the racing industry works and how to maximize the ownership experience. The association also says attendees will hear from experienced owners and industry professionals. TOBA President Dan Metzger said the seminars are designed to make Thoroughbred ownership “more approachable and accessible.”

That matters because racing still loses too many interested fans at the point where curiosity turns into commitment. Buying into a horse is not like buying a seat for the afternoon; owners have to understand claiming, partnerships, vetting, insurance, race conditions, costs and the day-to-day realities of stable management. By putting the seminar at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Indiana Derby Day, TOBA is giving newcomers a live setting to see the sport up close rather than treating ownership as an abstract investment.

The venue choice also gives the program real practical value. Horseshoe Indianapolis will provide the backdrop for a day that already carries racing weight, and participants are being encouraged to stay for the afternoon card highlighted by the Indiana Derby. That creates a direct bridge from the classroom to the racetrack, which is exactly where ownership education tends to stick.

The seminar is being presented by TOBA in partnership with the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association and Horseshoe Indianapolis. TOBA, based in Lexington, Kentucky, was formed in 1961 and says its mission is to improve the economics, integrity and pleasure of the sport on behalf of Thoroughbred owners and breeders. Its portfolio includes the American Graded Stakes Committee, Claiming Crown, Ownership Seminars, Breeding, Conformation & Pedigree Clinics, US-Bred, OwnerView and the Sales Integrity Program.

The bottom line is simple: if racing wants more owners, it has to lower the barrier to entry. TOBA is betting that a morning of instruction, a live race day and direct access to seasoned horsemen can turn interest into action.