By: Terry Finley

One of the most common questions I hear from prospective Partners is why West Point Thoroughbreds charges a markup on the horses we purchase.

It’s a fair question, and one we’re always happy to answer.

The simple answer is this: you’re not just buying an interest in a racehorse. You’re investing in the people, relationships, and expertise that make racehorse ownership enjoyable and rewarding.

Could you buy a racehorse on your own? Absolutely.

But owning a racehorse involves much more than purchasing one at auction. It requires evaluating horses, coordinating veterinary work, selecting trainers, arranging transportation and insurance, managing partnerships, handling accounting, making racing decisions, and staying on top of hundreds of details throughout a horse’s career.

That’s what we do every day.

Our Partners get to focus on the excitement of ownership while our team handles everything behind the scenes.

So what does the markup provide?

Access

Relationships matter in this business.

Over the past 35 years, we’ve built relationships with many of the finest trainers, veterinarians, bloodstock agents, and racing professionals in the world.

Those relationships open doors that would be difficult to access on your own.

One day, you may be thinking about owning your first racehorse. Before long, you could find yourself in the paddock before a graded stakes race, standing beside a Hall of Fame trainer, or celebrating a victory at Saratoga, Keeneland, Churchill Downs, Del Mar, or the Breeders’ Cup.

Those moments are what this sport is all about.

Horse Selection

Every horse we purchase is the result of extensive due diligence.

Our bloodstock team, led by CEO Terry Finley and internationally respected bloodstock agent David Ingordo, works closely with our trainers to evaluate hundreds of horses each year.

Veterinary examinations, X-rays, endoscopic evaluations, pedigree analysis, conformation review, stride analysis, and countless conversations all factor into every buying decision.

Experienced Management

Purchasing the horse is just the beginning.

Every week, our management team and trainers review every horse in our stable. We discuss race placement, training progression, veterinary care, equipment changes, competition, surface preferences, and long-term planning.

Our responsibility is to make thoughtful decisions that give every horse the best opportunity to succeed.

Communication

Communication has always been one of West Point’s highest priorities.

Whether it’s race previews, training updates, videos, webinars, phone calls, or conversations at the barn, we work hard to keep every Partner informed and involved.

We also continue to invest in technology and educational resources because informed Partners enjoy the experience even more.

Performance

Since 1991, West Point Thoroughbreds runners have won approximately 18% of their starts, finished in the top three nearly half the time, and earned nearly $100 million in purses.

Our Partners have celebrated victories in many of racing’s biggest events with horses including Flightline, Super Corredora, Counting Stars, Always Dreaming, Vahva, Carson’s Run, Decorated Invader, Hard Not to Love, Twilight Eclipse, and many others. Explore our stable of graded stakes winners.

Horse racing offers no guarantees, but experience, preparation, and disciplined decision-making certainly improve your chances.

A Commitment to Our Horses

At West Point, we believe our responsibility to a horse extends far beyond the finish line.

Providing exceptional care during a horse’s racing career is expected. What truly defines an owner is the commitment made after the racing days are over.

That’s why we created the Congie Black and Gold Fund, an industry-leading retirement and aftercare initiative established in memory of our first employee and dear friend, Congie DeVito. The Fund helps provide retraining, rehoming, transportation, rehabilitation, and lifelong care for the horses that have carried the black and gold.

Every West Point partnership contributes to the Fund, and we contribute alongside our Partners because we believe caring for these remarkable athletes is a shared responsibility. By pooling our resources across the stable, we’re able to provide opportunities and support that would be difficult for many individual owners to accomplish on their own.

We’ve helped hundreds of retired West Point horses transition to successful second careers and forever homes, and we continue to follow their journeys long after they leave the racetrack. It’s not simply part of our business model. It’s part of our culture.

For us, being a responsible owner means caring for our horses before, during, and after their racing careers.

More Than an Investment

At West Point, we believe racehorse ownership is about much more than financial returns.

It’s the anticipation leading up to race day. It’s walking into the paddock with your family. It’s watching your horse turn for home. It’s celebrating in the winner’s circle with people who were complete strangers just months earlier.

Over the years, we’ve watched countless friendships begin because two people happened to own the same horse.

Those friendships have turned into annual trips to Saratoga, weekends at Del Mar, golf outings, business relationships, family vacations, and lifelong friendships.

Many of our Partners will tell you that while they came to West Point because they loved horse racing, they stayed because of the people. Some of our Partners have owned horses with us for decades. Others have introduced children, grandchildren, neighbors, and lifelong friends to the sport through West Point.

That’s something we’re incredibly proud of.

Horse racing has a unique way of bringing people together, and we’ve had the privilege of watching our community grow for more than three decades.

To us, that’s every bit as rewarding as winning races.

Concierge-Level Service

We want every Partner to feel like they belong.

Whether it’s arranging race day seating, organizing barn visits, facilitating conversations with trainers, or helping first-time owners understand the sport, our team is committed to creating an ownership experience that’s second to none. Leading that effort is Director of Partner Service Danielle Austin, whose passion for caring for our Partners is evident in everything she does.

We Handle the Details

Behind every successful partnership is an enormous amount of work.

We handle partnership formation, regulatory filings, accounting, financial reporting, tax information, ownership records, and day-to-day administration so our Partners don’t have to. Chief Financial Officer Lindsey Heumann oversees every aspect of our financial reporting and understands the unique accounting and tax considerations that accompany racehorse ownership.

We also believe in complete financial transparency.

We Assume Meaningful Risk

One aspect of our business that’s often overlooked is the risk we assume.

West Point purchases horses before they’re fully syndicated. If something unexpected happens before a horse is sold to our Partners, we absorb that loss.

Likewise, if another owner fails to meet their financial obligations, our Partners aren’t responsible for someone else’s share.

That’s part of the responsibility we accept as your managing partner.

Education

We believe the more our Partners understand the sport, the more rewarding ownership becomes.

Through blogs, webinars, videos, stable updates, podcasts, and educational content, we help our Partners better understand every aspect of Thoroughbred racing.

The Bottom Line

People sometimes ask whether our markup is worth it. It’s a reasonable question, and one every prospective racehorse owner should ask.

I believe the answer isn’t found in any one service. It’s found in everything that comes with being a West Point Partner.

At the end of the day, very few people remember what they paid for a horse. They remember where they were when it won, who they celebrated with, and the memories they made along the way.

You’re investing in experienced professionals. Trusted relationships. Thorough due diligence. Transparent communication. Exceptional service. A team that’s passionate about horses and committed to doing things right.

But perhaps most importantly, you’re joining a community.

For more than 35 years, West Point has welcomed thousands of people into this sport. Together we’ve celebrated unforgettable victories, weathered disappointments, traveled the world, forged lifelong friendships, and shared experiences that simply can’t be duplicated.

That’s the true value of being a West Point Partner.

It’s something no markup can measure.

It’s more than owning part of a racehorse.

It’s becoming part of something special.

VIEW MORE RACEHORSE OWNERSHIP RESOURCES

 

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