How One Owner Found Community Through a Racing Partnership
Real Stories
Through syndicate ownership with West Point, Debbie found more than a share of a racehorse. She found a community, routine, and place where the quiet presence of horses helped her begin healing.
The First Step
Early mornings at the barn became a quiet ritual for Debbie Self.
She would lean against the rail with carrots and peppermints tucked in her pockets, greeting the horses as they wandered over. After decades of running Stooges Bar and Grill in Louisville (a business she owned for 43 years), Self was used to long days and constant motion.
Then a fire destroyed the restaurant she had built her life around.
In the months that followed, spending time around horses became a refuge. Through partnership ownership with West Point Thoroughbreds, Self found a way to stay connected to racing while sharing the journey with other owners.
And slowly, the barn began to feel like home again.
Why They Decided to Own
Self didn’t come to racehorse ownership through the traditional path.
For most of her life, she was focused on running a business. Her Louisville restaurant was a neighborhood institution built on long hours, familiar faces, and the rhythm of daily work. For more than four decades, Self was there every day, managing the flow of the place and the people who made it special.
Horse racing fit naturally into that mindset. Like running a business, the sport rewards patience, preparation, and a willingness to think long term.
Partnership ownership with West Point offered a way to be part of the game without doing it alone. For nearly a decade, Self has shared the ride with a group of fellow owners, working together to evaluate horses and celebrate the wins along the way.
For Self, the appeal was about the shared belief that comes with partnership. It’s the idea that everyone around the table is pulling in the same direction, hoping to see the same horse cross the finish line first.
What Surprised Them
What Self didn’t expect was how much the horses themselves would mean to her.
After the fire that destroyed her restaurant, the routine of visiting barns and spending time around horses became something she leaned on.
“They are therapy,” Self says. “They help me cope and move on.”
The connection she feels isn’t unusual. Research into equine-assisted therapy has shown that time spent with horses can help reduce stress and support emotional healing. The physical presence of the animals and the act of caring for them can create a sense of grounding.
Self feels that every time she walks into a stable.
“The horses didn’t change,” she says. “They were still there.”
For someone who spent a lifetime working nonstop, those moments in the barn became a place where the noise of the world faded.
“They are therapy. They help me cope and move on.”
What They’d Tell Someone New
Self would be the first to say you don’t need to do this alone.
Partnership ownership works because it brings people together around a shared goal. Instead of carrying the responsibility solo, you join a group of owners who follow the horse’s journey together.
For Self, that shared experience has been one of the most rewarding parts of the ride. Decisions are made as a team, and there’s always someone to talk to about the next race or promising horse.
Her advice for anyone considering ownership is clear: find the right partners and trust the process.
When you share the ride with the right people, the experience becomes about much more than the horse. It’s about the community built along the way.
Ownership Snapshot
Ownership Level: Share It (Syndicate Ownership)
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Years Involved: Nearly 10 Years
Favorite Moment: Quiet early mornings at the barn, feeding carrots and peppermints to the horses
