Once you commit to purchasing a share of a West Point horse, our CFO Lindsey Heumann will email you electronic documents and payment instructions.
Shortly after you join the West Point family, we’ll send you an email containing a few important pieces of information:
Every Partner has a dedicated rep and they are your go-to person for talking horses. Your rep will be Jeff Lifson, Tom Bellhouse, Jason Blewitt, or Joe Bianca. All of their contact info will be in that initial email you receive. They will check in with you regularly to update you on your portfolio and, most of all, be an ownership resource for you. Read more about our team here.
Your initial email also will contain important information about setting up your password to access the Owner’s Area (called MYWPT) on our website.
Stable-wide horse updates are posted on Thursdays, and a reminder email/weekly bulletin is sent to Partners on Fridays. The West Point website is where you find out the latest information about your horses via the Partner Private side, MY WPT, under your horses’ updates. If you need help accessing the Partner proprietary side of the website, please reach out to Dawn Lenert.
We try to give Partners as much notice as possible on race targets. With stakes horses, it’s a lot easier to plan ahead, but with others, especially young horses, the trainer could make a “game time” decision to enter a race, and in that case, you’ll have a 3-7 day heads up that your horse is running in a race.
Email communication – You’ll receive an entry alert each time your horse is entered to run, race feedback the week following a race, and any time-sensitive information (scratching from a race, injury, change of race plans, etc.)
Text messages – You’ll receive a text message from WPT a few hours before your horse runs with pertinent race information, including links to past performances and online live streams (when applicable). We use text messages to alert Partners of time-sensitive information (late scratches are the most common example) and if a horse is claimed out of a race.
Salesforce Chatter – We created collaborative groups on Salesforce to share information, including:
Chatter is a great tool to get to know the WPT team and your fellow Partners. Almost all West Point Partners take advantage of Chatter. We don’t require Partners to join Chatter or participate, but we know from experience that you can miss out on discussions and race day posts. Chatter is connected to our website. When you’re logged in on the West Point website on MYWPT, click the button “Salesforce Chatter / All Things WPT.” Chatter is where to go for same-day race feedback. One of our team members will post feedback on each and every WPT race. You will then receive a more formal race feedback email the Thursday after the race.
If you need help with Salesforce Chatter, please reach out to Dawn Lenert
Weekly bulletin – Each Friday’s Partner bulletin (sent from Jeff Lowe) contains a reminder to check the website for your horse updates and important Partner information about upcoming conference calls, events, and new content posted.
Race day accommodations
We have a seasoned owner concierge to help you with track accommodations on days you have horses running:
It’s important when your horse is officially entered that you reach out to Danielle via the accommodations form linked on your entry alert, the accommodations link on the “entries” section of “MYWPT” or contact her directly to let her know you plan to attend. If your horse is pointing toward a race on a big day, we may ask for accommodations requests a few weeks ahead of time.
Danielle will share more specifics regarding accommodations via a confirmation email and guide you through the process, especially if it’s your first race! The tracks can confirm accommodations as late as the morning of race day. So you can expect to receive an email confirmation from Danielle by the morning of your race (in many cases, the day before the race, but just be aware it could be as late as the morning of).
If you plan to attend your horses’ races please submit your request no later than 12:30 p.m. the day before race day. This gives us the best opportunity to work on your behalf with the tracks where needed. The exception to this is big days — we’ll need your accommodations request ahead of time.
Note, New York tracks charge admission for entry unless you have an owner’s license and accompanying NYRA badge, but there is open seating at Belmont and Aqueduct. Other tracks such as Laurel, Delaware, Colonial, Ellis, Horseshoe Indianapolis, and Monmouth, do not charge admission. Laurel, Delaware, and Monmouth also offer open seating.
Big race days and Saratoga/Del Mar Summer Meets – If you have a horse slated to run on a huge day of racing — i.e., Derby day, Breeders’ Cup, Pegasus, etc., we’ll be in touch a few weeks ahead of time with accommodations information. We typically try to seat as many West Point Partners together as possible. Especially with the summer meets, when your horse has a race target, the earlier you let us know you plan on attending, the better chance we have of helping you secure accommodations. All Saratoga and Del Mar race day dining and seating accommodations are ticketed or require a paid reservation.
Paddock access – In the vast majority of cases, if you attend your horse’s race, you and one guest are permitted in the paddock and winner’s circle. For big races, when passes are limited, they are distributed in an equitable manner based on percentage owned. If possible, we try to watch the race as a group and then receive feedback from the trainer and jockey.
Winner’s Circle Safety and Etiquette – Follow instructions from West Point staff or track officials to gather efficiently in the winner’s circle so all can fit. For the safety of humans and horses, refrain from cheering, clapping, or getting distracted by phone calls or texts when your horse returns to the winner’s circle. Never walk or stand behind the horse. Do not try to pet the horse. They are unpredictable animals, and we want you to safely savor the joyful moment. Remember to look at the track photographer, not the horse, so the camera will see your beaming face!
Barn visits – One of the best parts of owning horses is getting up close and personal with them. All farm and barn visits must be arranged through Danielle. We encourage you to wear closed-toe shoes whenever you are around horses on the backstretch or at the farm. Please note there are no barn visits the mornings your horse is entered to run.
We do our best to help Partners, especially new to the team Partners, with getting around that first time you go to watch your horse run. Team members often are at the races, but if not, we’ll reach out to you directly to go over race day protocol.
If your horse gets the job done, digital images will be posted to the Salesforce “All Things WPT” race chatter thread that you can download and share with family and friends online!
Information about ordering hard-copy photos will be included in your horse’s Thursday race feedback. It generally takes 3-4 weeks for photos to be mailed after race day to accommodate all orders.
Replica trophies and saddle towels may also be available if your horse wins a stakes race. Information about replicas will be emailed, and in most cases, you can conveniently order online. If you need help with photos or replicas, please reach out to Danielle Austin.
Generally, an owner’s license entitles you to free parking in the designated owner’s lot, free clubhouse admission, and access to the stable area. An owner’s license is not a requirement to own a horse in a West Point LLC.
Speak with your WPT rep about licensing requirements for the states your horse(s) are expected to run in.
Please do not go to any racetrack licensing office unaccompanied by WPT personnel. West Point often needs to provide supporting documents for you to be licensed. Do not attempt to obtain your license or renew your license after your horse has been entered or on race day, or it could result in the scratch of your horse.
If you obtain an owner’s license, then you are required to register with HISA.
The initial capital contribution covers your interest in the horse, all acquisition expenses, entity startup costs, equine mortality insurance, and training/maintenance costs through the end of the horse’s 2-year-old season (or for a specified period in the case of an older horse). The initial capital contribution does not cover expenses incurred in racing the horse.
Each investor is responsible for his or her ownership pro-rata share of the expenses, typically beginning with the horse’s 3-year-old year. A typical capital call for a 5% investment is around $600-750 per quarter (assuming the horse is in training at the racetrack and has earned no purse money). You may send personal checks or pay with a credit card online upon request.
Financials are prepared on a quarterly basis ~45 days after the end of the quarter. Financials are prepared when the horse turns three or when it begins racing, whichever occurs first.
A distribution is made to the partnership’s members when money in the partnership’s account significantly exceeds the upcoming quarter’s projected maintenance expenses, typically if a large purse is won after projecting the next quarter’s expenses. We try to make distributions very quickly after wins — nobody likes waiting around for their money!
If a horse is claimed or retired, a final reconciliation is done within 60 days.
Financial documents are posted on MYWPT here.
See more info on financials and distributions here.
Any financial-related questions can be directed to Lindsey Heumann.
We encourage you to take advantage of the plethora of educational information we have on our website.
From horse health issues to understanding race conditions and conditions books to information about West Point’s world-class horse retirement program.
Equibase Virtual Stable –the quickest way to be alerted when your horse has a workout or is entered in a race.
Daily Racing Form – past performances for WPT races are posted on the website, but there is a plethora of handicapping info available for purchase on the DRF site.
BloodHorse – we recommend subscribing to email news alerts.
Thoroughbred Daily News – subscribe and receive a daily PDF newsletter and news alerts.
TwinSpires – watch live racing and open a betting account
It’s an industry-accepted practice that direct contact with trainers is reserved for syndicate managers.
West Point encourages Partner/trainer interaction through regular conference calls (called Tuesdays at Two) and personal interaction at the races and during barn visits.
While our trainers are always hospitable and accommodating and do a great job of making our Partners feel welcome, we politely request that you not contact them directly.
Racetrack attire varies by track and by season. At most tracks, business casual is appropriate attire.
We’re asked about dress codes most commonly during the summer meets. Shorts and summer wear are acceptable at Del Mar, while Saratoga requires slacks for the paddock, winner’s circle, and certain dining areas. Sport coats are required in the Spa box area (shorts & jeans are prohibited).
For stakes races, most owners dress up.
If there is ever a question in your mind, a good rule of thumb is it is better to be slightly overdressed than to be embarrassed and denied access due to attire.
Be sure to wear your WPT lapel pin to identify yourself as a member of the family!
For privacy purposes, West Point doesn’t give out the contact information of individual Partners. We’ve found that Partners meet each other at the races and share or exchange information on Chatter.
Check out our online store. We have men’s, women’s, and children’s apparel, hats, and a hand-painted collection. Any questions related to the store can be directed to Danielle Austin.
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We are not affiliated with the Military Academy at West Point.
