Partnerships, Presented by Taylor Made Partnerships: Rocket Wrench Racing

From bustling cities to quiet rural towns, the potential for achievement and success knows no geographical boundaries. The same goes for Thoroughbred racing partnerships. Successful partnerships are not always born on major circuits like Kentucky, New York, or California. Sometimes they are born in a barn just south of a rural town in Minnesota called Elko New Market.

For Rocket Wrench Racing's managing partner Justin Revak, what started out as a dream one summer while stomping divots on Canterbury Park's turf course has developed into a partnership group on a meteoric rise. From a daydreaming teenager to top-10 owner at his home track, this story proves all you need is for the planets to align and a rocket to get you there.

“It really has been an extraordinary adventure that began over a decade ago when I came across a Craigslist ad offering one percent of a Minnesota-bred 2-year-old colt for $300,” Revak began. “Loving horse racing since I was a kid, I decided to pick up the phone and call the number on the ad. Hell, it was only $300.” The horse's name was Rocket Wrench, an unimpressive dark bay with donkey-like ears and a blaze on his face resembling an open-faced wrench.

The trajectory of the new venture started out with a series of not-so-impressive races, thus the general partner was ready to give up on the horse after the second year. “I still had faith in Rocket, as we called him around the barn, so I agreed to buy him. The next day I brought him to my farm for the winter,” recalled Revak. At the start of Rocket's third season, Justin took to Craigslist himself and looked for nine partners asking $1,000 each. The ad, to his surprise, took. Revak was now the general partner of Rocket Wrench Racing.

Rocket Wrench partner Shawn Valek recalls the day the stars aligned for him. “I was looking for a lawn mower about 12 years ago on Craigslist. I clearly got sidetracked and found an ad for a partnership in a racehorse. The price was $1,000 for a 10% share. I quickly called my friend Joe McBroom and said I had two questions for him. First, I asked him if he would like to go in on this horse. He said, “Yes but what is your other question?”  The second question was, “Can you tell my wife you found the ad on Craigslist?” McBroom granted the request, and the first group of partners were on their way.

Justin Revak and Rocket Wrench | Courtesy Justin Revak

McBroom has never regretted that day either. “When your horse is at the top of the stretch, it's absolutely thrilling to me and, the fact that we have a group of friends involved makes it a decidedly social endeavor.”

Revak sent Rocket to Canterbury Hall of Fame trainer Bernell Rhone to see if he could work his magic. On June 30th, 2012, Rocket Wrench Racing officially became a winning partnership as Rocket Wrench pulled away from the field by four lengths and crossed the finish line first.

Since that first win in 2012, Rocket Wrench Racing has amassed over $1,000,000 in earnings, boasts a 28% win percentage, and an in-the-money rate of 64%. “We have always been an aggressive claiming partnership. If a horse we have in the barn can't win or at least hit the board, we will drop him to where they belong,” explains Revak.

The team of trainers still includes Rhone but is now led by Karl Broberg and Tony Rengstorf. “We currently race in multiple states and all our trainers have impressive teams that do the day-in and day-out work that is ultimately responsible for our success,” said Revak. “Karl has taught me so much about finding good claims and we've become a really strong team. If both of us like the same horse, there's a pretty good chance it is going to do well for us.”

Partner Bret Woodson recalls, “I was in a previous partnership with some friends when I lived in Kansas City. It was a decent-sized group that claimed horses mostly in Louisiana. At the time, we were always going up against, and usually getting beat by, trainer Karl Broberg. Now I am a partner in Rocket Wrench Racing with Karl as our trainer. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?”

Plenty of other racing enthusiasts have joined Rocket Wrench Racing in recent years including Lisa Migletz. “After my parents passed away, I wanted to honor them and our tradition of going to races by doing something special,” she said. “After doing some research, I was eventually led to Justin Revak and Rocket Wrench, and I became a partner. It was one of the greatest and most exciting things to ever happen to me.”

Rocket Wrench Racing has zero markups on any of their claiming partnerships and has gone from one group to seven in the last decade and now have 37 different owners. “We have had Canterbury-only groups, groups with higher investment levels, and groups with specific circuits in mind,” said Revak.

“We are currently offering our first Hoosier group to race at Horseshoe Indianapolis in 2024, which is exciting.”  Each partnership group has $300 per month set aside to pay for all necessary legal and accounting services. The minimum investment level for a group starts at $2,500 and partners can own anywhere from five percent to 25 percent.

“I work to retain enough capital for each group so that we have few, if any, cash calls while the group is still active,” remarked Revak. “I am proud to say that we haven't had a single cash call since the first group was formed. That is not to say we haven't had swings in the total value from year to year, but overall, I work hard to manage our cash and horses, so I don't have to send out invoices.”

Partner Ida Schneck was drawn to the business model. “What I liked about Rocket Wrench Racing was that it was affordable and had a solid business plan so the risk of having to pay additional fees beyond my initial investment was minimal. Plus, I could own 5% and get an owner's license.”

Rocket Wrench Racing will be moving into the yearling market with Marcus and Crystal Ryan from Mason Springs Farm this year, due to a number of current partners looking for something new to experience.

“I am fortunate to be able to be a part of the main group of owners who have a piece of all the diverse groups within Rocket Wrench,” said partner Woodson. “My wife and I have three adult kids and they are all interested in and supportive of the Rocket Wrench partnership. Our four-year-old grandson has already been in the paddock and the winner's circle on numerous occasions, and we are hoping for many more as the years progress.”

Chris McCarron, Angel Cordero, and Justin Revak | Courtesy Justin Revak

Revak not only has learned that partnerships are the best vehicle to introducing new owners to the industry, but also that new owners expect more from the industry as it relates to racehorse aftercare and supporting the people who live and work in the stable areas.

Nebraska native 29-year-old Derek Drews is one of those partners. “I love being able to take family and friends to the barns to feed the horses,” he said. “Watching horses train in the morning is something special to see. Justin has always been great about getting myself and my family involved with the entire experience of ownership. Rocket Wrench participates and supports many of the charitable organizations, such as the Leg Up Fund down at the track. Yes, our ownership group is managed as a business, but we believe in much more than just winning races.”

Revak and several Rocket Wrench Racing partners unintentionally started a campaign in 2021 to buy air conditioner units for the dorms at Canterbury Park. “It was a sweltering summer, especially for Minnesota, and I went out and bought a couple of air conditioners at Home Depot for our groom's dorm rooms. Before I knew it, the HBPA, and the Minnesota Thoroughbred Association (Minnesota's breeding organization) and our partners chipped in even more money. Home Depot gave me a discount to help and away we went,” recalled Revak.

The giving did not stop there. Rocket Wrench Racing is a generous supporter of Jockeys and Jeans, the Leg Up Fund, and an exciting new organization that operates at Canterbury Park called Abijah's on the Backside. Sally Mixon, the founder of Abijah's, summarized the program. “Abijah's is the bridge between the racing industry and community wellness, pairing off-track Thoroughbreds with counselling professionals who are trained in a mental health experiential framework called ARCH. Justin and Rocket Wrench Racing have been big supporters of the work we do not only with horses and horse people, but also local first responders who participate in the program.”

The Rocket Wrench Racing story has now come full circle as the very first horse to launch this partnership, Rocket himself, is now one of the horses providing care for the clients of Abijah's. “It's cool being able to see Rocket work with people who need help, plus I get to see him most of the summer,” said Revak. “It is fun to look back at winner's circle photos on my wall from 2012 when my kids were eight and six and Rocket won his first race for us, until now when they are all grown up. My family and these horses are so important to me. The whole thing is wild. This horse, and this partnership has brought so much to so many.”

The post Partnerships, Presented by Taylor Made Partnerships: Rocket Wrench Racing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Minnesota Racehorse Engagement Program Promoting 2021 Ownership Opportunities

As temperatures start to rise in Minnesota, so does the excitement for the 2021 racing season at Canterbury Park. The Midwestern track, which opens on May 18, has a multitude of exciting opportunities for trainers, horses, and now future owners. Thanks in part to the relationships built with multiple ownership groups, both national and local, horse racing fans will have easy entry to the exciting experience of being a thoroughbred racehorse owner.

The Minnesota Racehorse Engagement Program (MNREP) is promoting several ownership opportunities on their website, www.RacehorseMinnesota.com, that will provide easy and affordable entry to Thoroughbred racehorse ownership in 2021.

One of these opportunities is provided by the 2021 Canterbury Park Racing Club. The Canterbury Racing Club, which was the first racing club introduced in the United States, has partnered with Wasabi Ventures Stables in 2021 to provide more horsepower via this one-of-a-kind club. Interested parties can experience owning a stable of racehorses at Canterbury Park for an all-inclusive one-time membership fee of $250. Membership offers several additional benefits at the track including free season's pass, special events, and educational opportunities.

“The Canterbury Racing Club is a great way to introduce racehorse ownership to someone who wants to experience the thrill of racehorse ownership, learn more about ownership in general, and who enjoys the sociability of being part of a group of racing fans,” explains Joe Scurto, Executive Director for MNREP.

Empire Racing Stables returns to Canterbury after finishing 2019 as the Leading Owner of the Meet. The club looks to utilize the knowledge of three high percentage winning Canterbury Park trainers: Robertino Diordoro, Bernell Rhone and Karl Broberg. The group races across the country and prides itself on organized gatherings for fun time with owners to get to know one another and enjoy the horses. Ownership opportunities start at $100.

Rocket Wrench Racing offers opportunity for new owners to enjoy the claiming game by claiming horses for their partnership while working alongside their trainer Karl Broberg. The group is made mostly of fellow Minnesotans who enjoy getting together at the track to watch their horses and support their home state's track. 5% ownership opportunities sell for $2,500.

“We look to claim horses with a proven record of success and then enter those horses in races where they can be competitive, and win,” says Rocket Wrench Racing Manager Justin Revak.

Ironhorse Racing Stable heads north for the first time, bringing their passion for success and for the horse to Canterbury Park in 2021. The group, known for campaigning multiple stakes-winning champion Bucchero and Breeders' Cup entrant Momos, is looking to start a 2-year-old at Canterbury Park for owners located in or around Minnesota, then continue racing the horse nationally, should he be successful.

“We are a no mark-up group that doesn't have management fees, but we also know how to win,” says Ironhorse Racing Stable Managing Partner Harlan Malter. “We value our partners because they're not just investors, they really are owners of the horse.”

Wasabi Ventures Stables will also offer their ever expanding ownership opportunities, aside from the Canterbury Racing Club and will be racing for the second year at Canterbury Park. Alongside trainer Tony Rengstorf, Wasabi owned horses hit the board in five out of six starts in 2020 and they look to improve on that record in 2021. Ownership with Wasabi can range from as little as a half percent to as much as 4.99 percent. Most investments start at under $200.

A recent addition to the menu of managed groups racing their horses at Canterbury this year is Grevelis Racing Stable. The longtime local group is woven into the very fabric of racing at Canterbury. Managed by Ted and Heather Grevelis, the group offers larger percentage ownership opportunities, as well as a track record of success at Canterbury dating back to 2005. Ten perecent ownership shares are listed at $2,000.

Racing kicks off at Canterbury Park on May 18 and will run through September 16. The racing partnerships are currently accepting new partners, and more information can be found on the MNREP website: http://racehorseminnesota.com.

The post Minnesota Racehorse Engagement Program Promoting 2021 Ownership Opportunities appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights