They say ‘success breeds success.’ Following a buoyant 10-day run south of the 49th, shareholders in thestable.ca are hoping the axiom holds true.
It’s certainly been a whirlwind for co-founders Amy and Anthony MacDonald. The Guelph-based syndicate carried the hopes of 94 fractional owners into stakes trials in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio last week. From nine starters, the final tally was impressive: two wins, five seconds and two fifths, netting just under $75,000 USD in purses. Not bad for a program that touts entertainment experience over monetary returns.
"The focus of our program has never been financial alone,” said Anthony in reflecting on thestable.ca’s early results. “It may sound trite, but we believe this industry sells itself short and puts itself on difficult footing by focusing too heavily on return on investment.”
“Any accountant will tell you that the business plan for horse ownership is a tough sell. We believe there is a better way. There is clearly a huge amount of interest in affordable ownership and the experience that surrounds it. That’s what The Stable delivers.”
The MacDonalds have fielded dozens of calls from their 271 clients since the stakes season kicked into high gear, but one topic seems to be off-the-radar.
“The only question we haven’t been asked is ‘How much did we make?’” laughs MacDonald. “Sure, there’s a financial interest. That’s undeniable. But, we’re really in the memory-making business. Affordable memories.”
Racing action continues for thestable.ca Monday and Tuesday as they return north of the border and challenge Ontario’s best.
(The Stable)