7/1/06
Our syndicate filly, Foxwood Belle, broke her maiden. It was a $20,000 CL race going 6 f. We were delighted and the syndicate members are ecstatic. Congratulations to all and thank you to trainer Sharon Ross.

11/14/05
Foxwood Belle is by all reports having a great time at her farm in Roy. She has been turned out with a friend until January for some rest and relaxation. What a life! We all had a great time watching her train and run this year. The people in our syndicate are delightful. I have never seen a group get so excited about a third place finish and I must confess, I was screaming as loud as anyone when she started down the stretch. She is such a determined filly. We ended the season with a small check for her earnings. Our logo hats are on the shelf, and we are taking a break, but I think everyone has a place in mind to put that win photo we’ll be getting next summer.

4/13/05 Foxwood Belle Syndicate Update: Licensing time.
Today I went to the Race office at Emerald Downs to renew my owner’s license. The process has changed slightly. First of all, the Commission Office is located north of the grandstand. There is a 4-way stop on the road where you turn in, and a sign for the Quarter Chute Café. The office is open whenever there is live racing and also on Wednesday and Thursday from 10-4PM. You might want to call first to be sure. Their number is 253-531-6372.

You will be asked for the name of your horse(s) and if you are joining us in the Foxwood Belle Syndicate, tell them you are a member of the Foxwood Belle Stable. They will want to know what your ownership interest is. The minimum is 10%. You will be charged accordingly even though you actually may only own 1%. That’s fine. It will cost $91.00. You will also have your photo taken, and you will be fingerprinted there in the office. This whole process will take about 10-15 minutes.

Once you have your license in your hot little hand, march through the doors into the next office and you will see the Horsemen’s Bookkeeper’s office. She will issue you the coveted parking pass and two admission passes for you and a friend which are good for the entire season.

So, now you are legal. You can park free, you can go to the grandstand free, and you can visit the barns. There is a protocol for barn visits though. I will write more on that later, but for the syndicate members, we will let Sharon advise use.

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4/5/05 Foxwood Belle.
We are starting a new venture. I have been asked to put together a syndicate to race the filly, Foxwood Belle. She was bred and raised by our friend, Billie Murphy, who passed away last year. Her grandson, Seth, contacted me and said that it was Billie’s wish to have her friends race this filly. He wanted me and another friend, Linda Weeks, to help him. I have never set up a racing syndicate before, but I thought this would be a great opportunity.

Let me back up and give some history on the filly. She is a lovely big individual by Jazzing Around, and out of the multiple stakes producing mare Ticky Tac. Ticky Tac was a favorite of Billie’s and is the dam of stakes winner, GREAT THREADS, $237,831, and stakes placed Foxy Sneakers, $292,092, Frisco Freeze, $41,862, and Runnin Riot, $7,785. Jazzing Around is the sire of many stakes winners including NAME FOR NORM, Champion 2-year-old colt in Washington, winner of the Gottstein Futurity and $278,367, JAZZIE ACT, CHAMPION OLDER MARE IN Washington winner of $185,146, OCHOCO JAZZ, horse of the year, champion 2- and 3-year-old colt in Oregon, JAZZ’N HOT,$178,4430, FOR THE CHILDERN, $116,578, A JAZZY VENTURE, $103,525, etc.

Billie sent her filly to Robin and Stormy at Carnation Racing Stable for breaking and early training as a two-year-old. She did well, and was sent to Emerald Downs for conditioning under the care of Billie’s long time trainer, Sharon Ross. Sharon decided that it would be wise not to start her at two, but instead to let her develop and grow. So, the filly was given the winter off and is currently back at Emerald Downs getting ready to start. Sharon reports that she is training well.

Now it is time to form our syndicate. With that in mind, I have proposed some ideas.

First, the ownership interest will be divided into 100 shares. That way, the original purchase and the maintenance will be affordable to more people. The syndicate members will each own 1/100 of Foxwood Belle. As owners, they will each be responsible for 1/20 of her expenses. Likewise, they will receive 1/100 of any money earned and of any funds should the filly be claimed or sold.

Sharon Ross will train the filly, as she was always Billie’s trainer and that was her wish.

Linda Weeks will be responsible for collecting and dispersing funds.

I will write the agreement, and be take care of communication.

Our goal is to have fun. Period. I will advise everyone who is interested in joining us that this is not a money-making venture. There is always a possibility that we might make money, but l wouldn’t count on it. On the other hand, what other sport can you think of that has even that possibility? What we can do is enjoy the filly, watch her train in the morning, get excited about her first race, go with her to the paddock and watch her be saddled, go to the barn and feed her carrots and take pictures, and of course brag about what a great filly she is. We will have breakfast at the track kitchen and join our friends for lunch and races in the afternoon.

Our plan is to run at Emerald Downs which opens April 15 and will go through the middle of October. Then, we will let Foxwood Belle rest over the winter at Billie’s farm.

Of course anything can happen and plans can change rapidly in this game. Sharon will have the call on when the filly will run and what kind of race she will go into. I will make sure that all the members are informed so they can watch her workouts and most importantly be there to see her races.

We will work out all the financial details and have those available. Please call for details.

Mary Lou Griffin

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