Michael Blowen

2002 GI Belmont S. winner Sarava (Wild Again) has died at Old Friends. According to the preliminary report from Dr. Colton Thacker at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, he was euthanized due to complications from a leg fracture at the age of 24. The dark bay was the first Classic winner to be retired to the farm Sept. 29, 2012, thanks to his owners, Gary Drake, and Paul and Susan Roy of Great Britain. He upset the field of the 2002 GI Belmont S. at odds of 70-1, defeating Medaglia...

MGSW Fearless (Ghostzapper) was welcomed to Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement farm in Georgetown, Kentucky on Wednesday, Aug. 2, the organization said in a release early Friday. The 7-year-old bay gelding, who was last seen running fifth June 10 at Belmont Park in the GII True North S., was retired to the farm by his owner, Mike Repole, a longtime supporter of Old Friends. According to Equibase he amassed eight wins over 19 starts and over $1.2-million in career earnings. "Fearless was a gutsy and determined racehorse with the perfect...

Old Friends in Georgetown, Kentucky, welcomed V. E. Day this week, the retirement farm said in a release Friday. The 2014 GI Travers S. hero, V. E. Day (English Channel--California Sunset, by Deputy Minister) came to Old Friends following the death of his owner-breeder Magalen O. Bryant in 2021. Bryant's representative, Johnathan Miller, and her daughter, K. C. Graham, visited Old Friends earlier this year when it was decided that the stallion would retire from stud duty. "V. E. Day was a courageous Travers winner and we inquired about his...

MGSW Disturbingthepeace (Bold Badgett) passed away at the age of 25 due to complications from colic Old Friends announced Friday. An earner of more than $666,000 in his 24-race career, the gelding did his best racing at Del Mar, winning back-to-back renewals of the GII Pat O'Brian S. along with the GII Triple Bend Breeders' Cup Invitational H. and the GII Bing Crosby Breeders' Cup H. He retired to Old Friends at the end of the 2012 racing season. "Disturbingthepeace had a nice race career," said Old Friends Founder and...

Old Friends, Thoroughbred Retirement Farm will dedicate three new street signs during its 18th Annual Homecoming event, Sunday, May 7 from noon to 4 p.m. (EST), the organization said in a release on Wednesday. The new signs will honor: Dave Litfin, "Litfin Lane," author and writer for the Daily Racing Form; Bob Neumeier, "Neumeier Street," NBC broadcaster; and Jay Privman, "Privman Pass," recently retired turf writer from the Daily Racing Form. "This trio of remarkable chroniclers of Thoroughbred racing will have paths named after them at Old Friends to remind...

The Josephine Abercrombie Pin Oak Foundation will match up to $750,000 in donations for a new, state-of-the-art Old Friends visitor center at its Georgetown, Kentucky location to be called The Ms. Josephine Abercrombie Center at Old Friends. The structure, a renovation of an old tobacco barn, will be named in honor of the horsewoman, philanthropist, and late owner of the renowned Pin Oak Stud in Versailles, Ky. To date, $150,000 for the project has been raised, which includes a $50,000 donation by the Georgetown/Scott County Tourism board. According to Old...

MGSW Eye of the Tiger (American Chance) was found dead in his paddock early March 18 at Old Friends in Georgetown, Ky. Necropsy results of the 23-year-old are pending. Following his racing career, Eye of the Tiger stood at John Gunther's Glennwood Farm in Versailles, Ky. until he was pensioned and retired to Old Friends in 2016. "Eye of the Tiger was the Garbo of Old Friends," said Michael Blowen at Old Friends. "Give me what I need and get lost. Handsome, self-reliant, and, now, missed."

Just six days after the passing of his owner Burt Bacharach, Afternoon Deelites, a six-time graded-stakes winner, was euthanized Feb. 14 at Old Friends, the Kentucky-based Thoroughbred retirement farm, due to complications from colic. He was 31. Old Friends President and Founder Michael Blowen announced his passing Wednesday morning. The dark bay stallion, who was the farm's oldest resident, was just two weeks shy of his 31st birth date. Bred by Blue Seas Music Inc., the son of Private Terms--Intimate Girl, by Medaille d'Or, was foaled in West Virginia on...

Argentinian Group 1 winner Star Plus (Arg) (Alpha Plus--Nannar {Arg}), by Big Play) died Saturday following a paddock accident at Old Friends retirement facility in Georgetown. The 20-year-old had been at Old Friends for 11 years. Following a win in the 2007 G1 Joaquin S. deAnchorena, Star Plus was purchased by Earle Mack to race in the United States, where his best finishes were a runner-up effort in the 2008 GIII Turfway Park Fall Championship S. and an allowance victory at Keeneland. Star Plus suffered a major ankle injury and...

Albertus Maximus (Albert the Great--Chasethewildwind, by Forty Niner), winner of the 2008 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, died following a paddock accident. The 18-year-old stallion was recently pensioned to Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement from Shadwell's Nashwan Stud. Racing in Sheikh Hamdan's colors, Albertus Maximus also won the 2009 GI Donn H. He retired from racing in 2012 with six wins from 17 starts and earnings of $1,328.230. "Albertus Maximus inherited his sire's self-confidence," said Old Friends President Michael Blowen. "Like Albert the Great, Albertus was well aware of his extraordinary talents....

Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Farm in Georgetown, Ky., will host a special Breeders' Cup Celebration Sunday Nov. 6 from 12:00-4 p.m. Tickets are $40 for the general public and $20 for Old Friends Clubhouse members. Children under 12 are free. Reservations can be made online by visiting the Old Friends website (www.oldfriendsequine.org), or by calling the farm at (502) 863-1775. Guests will enjoy a barbeque buffet by Proud Mary's, live Bluegrass music from Steve Norman and Friends, and both live and silent auctions of racing memorabilia, collectible stallion halters,...

Jonesboro (Sefapiano--Mom's Command, by Top Command) has been pensioned from stallion duties and retired to Old Friends near Georgetown, Ky. The hard-knocking millionaire, who won 10 black-type events, including the GII Prairie Meadows Cornhusker H. and three other graded stakes, has stood since 2011 at Lake Hamilton Equine in Royal, Ark. His nine small crops of racing age include three stakes winners. Jonesboro is a son of Mom's Command, the 1985 Eclipse champion 3-year-old filly whose five Grade I wins included the Filly Triple Crown. Bred by Peter Fuller, who...