What’s This Guy Doing Here?
I spend most of my working week writing about investing at my other Substack, ETFYourself.com, running an investing service and writing at Barchart.com. I’ve had a 40-year Wall Street career, and retired from direct investment advisory in 2020.
So, what’s this about? Well, I also like introducing people to things that bring genuine excitement, energy, and fun into life. And for me, one of those things is horse racing.
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I’m a $1 wagerer, not a hardcore “horseplayer.” But the sport, the game, the culture, the morning atmosphere, the camaraderie, and the rivalries? That all gets me going!
So, while I still spent lots of time as I have for decades, sitting in front of screens analyzing data and charts and writing about my views, in 2026, I added a “hat.” Writing about horse racing, and teaming up with a couple of great young horsemen to start a business that owns racehorses. That’s Claim To Fame Racing Club, to which I’ve dedicated a tab to on this site.
Put it all together, mix it around, and that’s “semi-retirement” as I define it.
Our Mission: Racing with the Lights On
Most people see horse racing from the grandstands—a blur of color, a roar of the crowd, and a bet that usually disappears into a “black box.”
My journey into US Thoroughbred racing started accidentally at Gulfstream Park on a Sunday in 2010. I had a few hours to kill, my mobile phone wasn’t what it is today, so I wandered into the track. In a way, I haven’t left since. I’ve learned to love watching from the rail, the restaurant, or during the early part of the pandemic, the parking lot (since that’s as close as you could get for a while).
I love the data in the racing form, and the adrenaline of the winner’s circle, which I was fortunate to find myself in several times during 2025, my first full year as a racehorse owner. I’ll talk about that experience quite a bit here.
But I also realized something:
The sport is at a crossroads. Good people want to get involved, but they are pushed away by a business that is traditionally opaque. Between “mystery bills,” hidden markups, and a lack of real communication, the barrier to entry isn’t the cost—it’s the confusion.
HorseClaiming.com was created to change that. We are a media and management platform dedicated to “Racing with the Lights On.”
Why Start a Substack About Horse Racing?
To help expand the game. Like so many people who love horse racing, I don’t just think other sports fans would enjoy it if they gave it a chance—I KNOW they would.
But they have to be shown what this sport really is.
Horse racing is so much more than two minutes on the first Saturday in May. It’s more than gambling on the next race. And it’s vastly more than the negative headlines you sometimes see in industry news. There are plenty of “moments” in this game. But behind those moments, is a whole entertainment experience that when people experience it, they often come back for more. I was one of those.
This site is about speaking directly to people who have already “leaned in” just a bit toward the sport, from whatever angle they choose. So I’m here to help the sport build a “coalition of the willing”—fans, casual wagerers, and maybe even folks who want to experience what it feels like to own a small slice of a racehorse without needing a fortune to do it.
Horse racing is the ultimate spectator sport
An outdoor game where women and men compete head-to-head on equal terms.
An industry powered by tireless work behind the scenes that will inspire people.
Where you can ask 5 people why they love it, and get 5 very different answers.
To be clear: there is zero pitch here. Earlier this year, a few partners and I launched a small syndicate, Claim To Fame Racing Club, to own a portfolio of claiming horses, but it was strictly a “friends and family” initial group, and it is completely closed.
Instead of selling anything, I’m using this blog to tell the story of our first season. The stories behind the horses we acquired, the ups, downs, travel decisions, and the sheer thrill of race day.
And, whatever this online community wants to learn about the game. I have access to some of the best people in it. So let me know what you want to know!
Between my background as an analyst and communicator, our head trainer who lives on the backstretch every day, and our partner who is both a practicing CPA and a former assistant trainer, we’ve had a front-row seat to how a stable actually operates. I’ve learned a lot from them already, had a ton of laughs, and experienced the raw ups and downs of the game.
I’m inviting you to follow along as I document the journey
We’ll blend our stable stories with casual handicapping picks just for fun, conversations with great people across the industry, and whatever else keeps the sport exciting.
This is my blog, but it’s your community. Let’s do our little part to enjoy and share the sport we love.
Welcome aboard!
— Rob Isbitts
Join the Stable
Whether you’re a veteran owner or someone who just caught the bug, you belong here. We’re stripping away the mystery and bringing common sense back to the backstretch.
Let’s enjoy the game we love—together.
A Note for the Ledger: HorseClaiming.com is a media and management platform. We provide transparency, data, and community. We are not a gambling service; we are a business dedicated to the longevity and professionalization of the sport.
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