By Mike Samford More than 150,000 people leaned toward the track as Golden Tempo came charging through the final stretch. Hats tilted, phones raised, strangers formed a phalanx of cheers. In the grandstand, in the boxes, and along the rail every eye seemed fixed on...
Michael Samford
The Last Solvent Conviction: How Professional Investors Handicap Big Market Moves
By Michael Samford Commerce is ritual in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky. At Keeneland, the unique blend of rich damp earth, leather, coffee and clipped hay wrap around the barns and through boulevards of white-planked fences. In the sales pavilion, seats are filled...
Overcoming the Primal Panic of Volatile Markets
When markets suddenly lurch lower, the flicker of red on a screen is more than a financial read-out. It is an emotional siren. Prospect theory, the landmark work of Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, explains the first half of that reaction. We anchor every outcome to...
Who Tells Your Story? A Legacy Beyond Wealth
At the end of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit musical Hamilton, the final song asks a question that lingers long after the curtain falls: “Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?” After two and a half hours chronicling ambition, revolution, sacrifice, and achievement, the...
Safe at Home: Avoiding Costly Errors When Markets Get Wild
As the Major League Baseball season takes swing—with ballparks buzzing, gloves snapping, and the unmistakable scent of pine tar in the spring air—it’s a fresh reminder of just how much America’s pastime can teach us about discipline, strategy, and timing. Baseball,...
A Market of Orchestration, Not Concentration
From Spotlight to Harmony It is late evening in a grand concert hall. The audience sits in hushed anticipation as the conductor stands in a commanding spotlight, casting the orchestra into shadow. The violins and cellos begin with a delicate passage, weaving ethereal...
Nutella, Pencils and Taxes: A Review of Tariff Policy
Tariffs are a foreign concept to most people. Beyond their role as a tax on the sale of foreign goods, in the real world, tariffs are perhaps among the most ambiguous policy tools for those not involved with international trade. We hear tariff policy proposals on the...
The Bedrock of Fiduciary Innovation
As we close out 2024, we want to express our sincere gratitude for your trust and partnership. Since our founding in 1985, we have remained committed to Loyalty, Prudence, Care, and Professionalism—values that ensure your interests are always our top priority. This...
Embracing the Harvest: Lessons from the Orchard for Income Investors
As the crisp autumn air approaches, we're reminded of the simple joys that this season brings. The leaves transform into a tapestry of reds and golds, and communities gather for timeless traditions like hayrides, pumpkin carving, and visits to apple orchards. There's...
Olympic Dreams and Economic Realities: What Paris 2024 Taught Us About Labor Markets
As workers return to the office after an extended Labor Day weekend, labor and employment are naturally front of mind. This is even more true for Jerome Powell and the members of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. As the Fed’s battle against inflation appears to...









