Southern Racehorse - March/April 2014

New York-based West Point Thoroughbreds, which has campaigned six individual Grade 1 winners, generally breaks its partnerships into 10 percent increments on each horse, with an average investment of $10,000 to $40,000. Terry Finley, the president and founder of West Point, also said limiting the number of partners can help ensure a good experience for all.

“It gets to be a challenge, especially if you get to the big races,” Finley explained about having too many partners. “We had a horse in the Blue Grass Stakes, and we just had too many people at Keeneland, so we wanted to get away from that and we’ve moved in the direction of Cot Campbell. We have maybe 12 to 14 people at the most, and that’s Courtesy Fred Taylor a manageable number. The tracks have gotten better at accepting the The distinctive Mojo Racing colors might not be seen aboard partnership model, so it’s gotten easier through the years.” a Kentucky Derby winner, but Taylor hopes to give partners the same thrill of winning while racing mostly in claiming Dogwood and West Point acquire the majority of their horses at public and allowance races in Texas and the surrounding states. auction, which creates transparency because investors know the actual purchase price of the horse. Some partnership groups allow owners to generation that horse racing covets. That’s where a group like Texas-based invest in a pool of horses, which can help spread the risk if a horse or two Mojo Racing Partners fits in with offerings in the neighborhood of $500 to $1,000. in the group gets injured or spends too much time watching from the “Some of my partners have been with other racing groups, and they rear of the field. paid as much as $30,000 for a pretty small percentage of a horse,” said However, Campbell and Finley both stressed that having partners on Fred Taylor, whose day job is as Senior Manager of Proactive Customer just a single horse strengthens the bond among that group of owners Service Communications for Southwest Airlines. and allows for a rich experience, if not financially, at least emotionally.

When he’s not trying to keep Southwest at the top of the rankings Both also stressed the importance of honesty and integrity, especially in in customer satisfaction, Taylor is doing the same with his owners by a business that involves so much financial risk and offering an experience similar to the “big” ownerwhere a $100,000 purchase can turn into a $5,000 ship groups without the big price (not unlike what claimer almost in the blink of an eye.

Southwest strives to do as an airline).

“Obviously someone who’s looking to do this “They get other amenities and the horse might has got to have some discretionary funds,” Camprace at the premier meets at Gulfstream and Sarabell said. “We’ve always been very careful to rub toga, but for the money they pay, did they get the people’s noses in the fact that this is speculative. value out of it?” Taylor asked about some other “We have always been forthright about the partnerships. concept of selling it for what it is,” he added. “We Just as some travelers are willing to pay extra to don’t say that we know this horse is going to make sit in first class, others are looking to stretch those money because he’s by so and so; we go out of the dollars, and those are the ones who often find way to do the opposite, and I think people apprecivalue with Mojo and horses running in claiming ate that. We lay it all out on the line.” and allowance races in the region.

Finley takes a similar approach at West Point, “I don’t make a living off this, so I don’t have which he started in the early 1990s and then saw a lot of overhead and it’s just the costs involved Courtesy Fred Taylor with the expenses, acquisition of the horse, etc.,” pick up steam later in that decade. He believes the Fred Taylor, founder of experience of his staff makes a big difference in the Taylor said. “We try to accomplish three things.

Mojo Racing Partners, offers level of success and enjoyment for the partners.

First, we want to have a competitive product so affordable options with an “We are getting people who have tried it themwhen the horse is on the track he has a chance of emphasis on a fun and selves with a horse for $50,000, and then they see educational ownership experience. having a top three finish. Second, we want to make they can get in with us on two or three really nice horses for the same it affordable. Most people in a Mojo group are trying the experience for money,” he said. “So instead of buying a $30,000 claimer and putting the first time. They want something low risk that gives them a taste. The $20,000 in the bank for expenses, they have a shot to get onto the big last thing, when you put those together you want to have fun.” stage with us.”

While Taylor takes the business part of ownership seriously, from finding the right trainer to the right horse at the right price, he also stresses Letting the Little Guy Join In the importance of that third goal—fun. On the Mojo website you’ll find While Dogwood and West Point allow owners to get into the game all the standard disclaimers and warnings about the financial risks of for a relatively small investment compared to the cost of buying an racehorse ownership, mixed in with a bit of humor. One FAQ on the webelite yearling or 2-year-old at one of the nation’s premier sales, even at site says: Does Mojo buy a big barrel of Maker’s Mark bourbon with the the $10,000 or $20,000 price level, there are many potential own- winnings? (The answer, of course, is no.) ers who simply cannot afford to participate, especially the younger Like any owner, Taylor dreams of winning major stakes, and while the Southern Racehorse • MARCH/APRIL 2014 55