Terry Finley, West Point Thoroughbreds

[-BT-]

interesting tidbit

Terry Finley, West Point Thoroughbreds

Photo: West Point ThoroughbredsTerry Finley was finishing his military service in 1990 when he and his wife, Debbie, bought a $5,000 horse. The horse, named Sunbelt, won its first race, and Finley was hooked. He quit his insurance job and took a chance on his passion. Armed with credit cards and personal savings, he started West Point Thoroughbreds with his wife.

“Taking what you love to do and making a profession out of it is so much better than just working to make a living,” Finley says .

West Point Thoroughbreds now buys 20 to 25 horses a year, forming groups of investors who can profit when the horses win, breed and sell. Since 2007, its horses have won more than 20 percent of their races, with purses totaling more than $16 million and counting. Annual sales are near $7 million.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/people...-millions.html

-bt-

[VOL JACK]

They have been on pretty dry run the last 2-3 years, for what they spend at the sales.

I have never understood why someone would invest with them.
To each his own.

Because supporting the troops is what it's all about. Plus if you're a wimp you'll seem tough hanging with Captain America.

[NTamm1215]

Terry Finley and West Point sell really well on racing at the top of the game. Buying into their horses gives you a better opportunity to run at Keeneland, Saratoga, Del Mar, and Gulfstream and possibly win. If you spend a Saturday afternoon at Saratoga where they're running a few horses, it's practically an open house for their stable.

I'm not wild about the "this is how I became a millionaire" type of talk (and this is the 2nd such article/TV appearance he's made), but obviously they are comfortable enough with their investors that they don't worry about losing a few who might say, "hey, I threw in 100k on two horses who didn't clear a N1X and the head of the syndicate's a millionaire? That's BS."

[Calzone Lord]

To run these syndicates takes great skill at handling and recruiting rich people and marginally rich people.

I remember the sales topper of a Saratoga yearling sale about six years back was a $2.2 million yearling sired by Mr. Greeley out out a terrible race mare named Win My Heart.



Team Valor won the bid for $2.2 million while West Point was the underbidder.

Horse ran five times and made 65K before it broke down. Pletcher trained it.

On the surface it might not appear such a questionable buy... but when you fork out that kind of money for a yearling you're typically getting a pedigree that will be attractive as a stallion prospect if the horse has a successful career on the track. Or you're getting an extremely well bred and correct filly who will have a lot of residual value as a broodmare no matter how her racing career goes.

West Point is MUCH more active in 2yo sales than Team Valor. They have some extremely expensive newly turned 3yo's who are still unraced. Team Valor likes to buy a lot of foreign horses...and horses off of nice maiden wins.

[Sightseek]

Barf.

[blackthroatedwind]

I like the picture.

Terry had hair and Mig was still riding.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I like the picture.

Terry had hair and Mig was still riding.

Might that have been when Seattle Fitz beat the greatest horse ever in the Brooklyn?

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

Might that have been when Seattle Fitz beat the greatest horse ever in the Brooklyn?

A day that will live in infamy.

[VOL JACK]

Must be nice to play the game at the highest level off other peoples money.

They buy a horse at auction for 250k, double the price, then sell off shares ranging from 2.5% to whatever. Then the shareholders in the horse pay all the training, vet, and shipping bills.

Pretty sweet gig, huh?

[-BT-]

Originally Posted by VOL JACK

Must be nice to play the game at the highest level off other peoples money.
They buy a horse at auction for 250k, double the price, then sell off shares ranging from 2.5% to whatever. Then the shareholders in the horse pay all the training, vet, and shipping bills.

Pretty sweet gig, huh?

no different than whats been happening on wall street for decades

-bt-

[jms62]

Originally Posted by VOL JACK

Must be nice to play the game at the highest level off other peoples money.

They buy a horse at auction for 250k, double the price, then sell off shares ranging from 2.5% to whatever. Then the shareholders in the horse pay all the training, vet, and shipping bills.

Pretty sweet gig, huh?

Not as Sweet as IEAH

[VOL JACK]

Originally Posted by jms62

Not as Sweet as IEAH

[3kings]

Originally Posted by jms62

Not as Sweet as IEAH

Wow, they have six active horses and only had 31 starts last year.

http://www.ieah.com/