And, still speaking generally, racing T-breds are so flaky that they make bad saddle horses. It's hard to get them to calm down and they are more unpredictable than other breeds. And the trotters and pacers are good for practically nothing--try riding one and keeping your teeth. Not much call for pulling buggies--carriage horses in cities are usually the draft breeds.
"I don't speak to the exceptional horse, but the considerable quantity of ruined failures."
Well, I absolutely agree with you there. Too many owners/trainers get the "Derby fever" and ruin young TBs.
"And the trotters and pacers are good for practically nothing--try riding one and keeping your teeth."
Rode a pacer once....no thanks....LOL!
They usually wind up pulling Amish and 'old order' Mennonite buggies.
I see them all the time up above Chambersburg PA.
Off-the-track thoroughbreds (OTTB) are highly sought after as Eventing horses for their intelligence and stamina. We have raised OTTBs that went on to be polo ponies, police horses, out-rider horses, hunters, etc.
My daughter was winning Show Jumping Championships on one of our homebred off-the-track mares. Her previous Champion show jumper was an OTTB as well.
These horses were not "flaky" to the person who knows how to ride them. They are highly intelligent. That doesn't necessarily mean that an unskilled rider looking for a backyard horse should go looking to claim one off the track. A racehorse does require expert retraining to unlearn the racing behaviors they have been taught.
And as to preferring the QH Racing. Their big races are for 2 year olds! And yes, they have their share of casualties. (I still like them)