Terry Finley is the founder and CEO of West Point Thoroughbreds, the largest Thoroughbred partnership company in the world. He's grown the company from one investor and one claiming horse in 1991 to more than 500 investors and more than 80 horses today. The stable celebrated its 100th stakes win in February 2018.
Finley shared his thoughts on supporting the Water Hay Oats Alliance's call for legislation that would have the United States Anti-Doping Association oversee racing's drug testing. Finley's thoughts, provided in a WHOA release, follow:
For many years, I thought bringing in an outside entity to manage our sport's drug testing and anti-doping programs was a bad idea.
My outlook has changed.
Think about this: On Jan. 27, 1934, The BloodHorse published an article describing the extensive efforts of the National Association of State Racing Commissioners and their goal of achieving the "adoption of uniform rules, penalties, and enforcement" among racing states.
84 years later - and racing is still waiting.
The current anti-doping structure (38 different drug testing/anti-doping programs) is the biggest threat to the future of our great game. It is unmanageable, indefensible, and unfair to our horses, owners, bettors, trainers, and our industry. Any system that is not uniform and not independent can only fail, and our current system is failing us.
Let's stop kicking the can down the horsepath. We need a national drug testing/anti-doping program.
The one way we can do that is by supporting the Horseracing Integrity Act and bringing the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) into our world. USADA is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization with a proven track record of successfully addressing serious anti-doping problems in many other sports.
It's time to make a move.
Terry Finley
West Point Thoroughbreds
More on West Point:
West Point is a minority owner of the 2017 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Always Dreaming and also campaigned 2014 Kentucky Derby runner-up Commanding Curve.
Finley graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1986 and earned a Master of Science in Business Administration from Boston University in 1989. He served in the United States Army for eight years as a Field Artillery Officer and is Ranger and Airborne Qualified.
Terry currently serves on several boards: New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, Jackie Robinson Foundation, Thoroughbred Charities of America, Catholic Leadership Institute, and Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund.
In 2014, he completed the Owner/President Management Program, a three-year executive education course at the Harvard Business School for CEOs and executive leaders.
Finley lives in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. with his wife and business partner Debbie. His daughter Erin is communications director and racing manager at West Point Thoroughbreds and his son Ryan played professional soccer in the MLS and Europe before recently beginning a career on Wall Street.
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