Owner-turned-trainer Steven Schauer off to solid start in 2025

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Steven Schauer has made a pretty nice transition from owner to trainer.

Schauer, who, as an owner raced under the moniker The Players Group, took his wife Carmen’s advice last year and took out his trainer’s license. After losing with his first six starters, Schauer has started 2025 with three wins from three starters.

“It’s challenging,” Schauer said. “So far, so good. I can’t complain.”

Schauer won twice with Giroovin, a horse he claimed for $16,000 in November, and Cees Get Degrees, a horse he claimed for $25,000 in December. Those horses he claimed for himself. Sunday, Schauer claimed That’s Money for $25,000 for owner Diane Balsamo. Thursday, he starts Danneel in a maiden claimer at Aqueduct for Miguel Lima, who races under Lima Horse Racing LLC. Danneel had been racing for trainer Ilmar Loaiza at Finger Lakes.

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Schauer, 58, said he started handicapping when he was 10 years old. In 2005, he began claiming horses with some partners, but ultimately those people backed out. Over the last seven years, Schauer had horses with trainer Antonio Arriaga, but he was a constant presence around the barn.

“I’ve had my ups and downs,” Schauer said. “Seven years ago, when I joined Antonio, I decided to take an interest in training. Maybe I could do better myself.

“My wife said you’re practically there every morning anyway, why don’t you got out on your own,” Schauer added. “I was working with Antonio in the morning watching my horses closely. It was time to go out on my own.”

Giroovin was a horse Schauer said he was interested in claiming back in 2023. In July of that year, trainer Robert Falcone Jr. took Giroovin on a day he won for $25,000. Schauer, still an owner, claimed Gabe, who finished last. Gabe won once from six starts for The Players Group, the win coming at Parx Racing for $12,000.

Schauer kept close tabs on Giroovin, ultimately taking him for $16,000, winning a two-way shake he said was with Wayne Potts. After Giroovin ran third for $40,000, Schauer ran him in a pair of starter-allowance races, winning both. On Jan. 5, the horse won by six lengths at 12-1 and earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He was a dream to train,” Schauer said. “There was nothing that he did wrong.”

Cees Get Degrees was another horse Schauer said he’d been following and nearly took for $32,000 last fall. He ultimately took the horse for $25,000 on Dec. 14 and won with him for that same price on Jan. 30. In fact, Schauer won races 7 and 8 on Jan. 30 with Cees Get Degrees and Giroovin.

In Thursday’s fifth, Schauer will send out Danneel in a maiden $20,000 claimer going one mile. Danneel has made her last two starts in maiden special weight company at Finger Lakes. On Nov. 20, she finished in a dead heat for fourth.

Schauer said he told the owner that he would take the horse provided that he was willing to listen to his assessment to run her at the level at which she fits.

“This is where you’re really going to have to put her, if you’re not willing to do that don’t bring her here, I don’t want to waste your time or your money,” Schauer said.

Danneel is 0 for 15, but her last two speed figures do seem to make her competitive in this one-mile race.

In addition to training, Schauer does drive a limousine though he said he has just one client at the present time.

“She refuses to let me go, even though I told her what I’m doing,” Schauer said. “She said ‘Make sure it’s you when you pick me up.’ I said ‘Okay.’ During the summer months, it’s only on the weekends. I don’t know how Saratoga plays into my future right now.”

Schauer said he’s not sure for how long he will train or how big he ultimately wants his stable to get.

“Part of my hesitance is this is a real commitment, constantly worrying seven days a week,” Schauer said. “If you look at it, all the trainers have health issues and the last thing I want is a health issue. I said I would give this an honest shot for a year to 18 months [and] see how it goes. Either that or I go broke, one or the other. I started out 0 for 6, had some pretty bad stock. As you see, it can turn on a dime.”

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