Old Friends Equine
Encyclopedia
Old Friends is a nonprofit equine retirement facility in Georgetown, Kentucky
. It is the only thoroughbred
retirement facility in the United States that accepts stallions.
The facility was inspired by the death of 1986 Kentucky Derby
winner Ferdinand
, and created in 2002 by Michael Blowen who runs it almost entirely from donations.
In 2009, Joann and Mark Pepper's farm in Greenfield Center, New York
became a satellite operation of Old Friends Equine known as Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division named for U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
trainer Bobby Frankel who died in 2009.
Georgetown, Kentucky
Georgetown is a city in Scott County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 29,098 at the 2010 census. The original settlement of Lebanon, founded by Rev. Elijah Craig, was renamed in 1790 in honor of President George Washington. It is the home of Georgetown College, a private liberal arts...
. It is the only thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
retirement facility in the United States that accepts stallions.
The facility was inspired by the death of 1986 Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
winner Ferdinand
Ferdinand (horse)
Ferdinand was a Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1986 Kentucky Derby and 1987 Breeders' Cup Classic. He was voted the 1987 Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year.He entered stud in 1989 and was later sold to a breeding farm in Japan in 1994....
, and created in 2002 by Michael Blowen who runs it almost entirely from donations.
In 2009, Joann and Mark Pepper's farm in Greenfield Center, New York
Greenfield, New York
Greenfield is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 7,362 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Greenfield, New Hampshire.The Town of Greenfield is an interior town...
became a satellite operation of Old Friends Equine known as Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division named for U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
trainer Bobby Frankel who died in 2009.
Notable residents in Kentucky
- Affirmed Success - Winner of 1998 Forego HandicapForego HandicapThe Forego Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Open to horses three years old and up, it is run at a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt...
and Vosburgh StakesVosburgh StakesThe Vosburgh Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Run at the end of September/early October, it is open to horses three-years-old and up of either gender...
, 1999 Cigar Mile HandicapCigar Mile HandicapThe Cigar Mile Handicap is an American race for thoroughbred horses at Aqueduct Racetrack in New York. Run annually in late November, it is named in honor of the U.S. Hall of Fame horse Cigar, who won the race in 1994 when it was known as the NYRA Mile. Renamed in 1997 following Cigar's retirement,...
, 2002 Carter HandicapCarter HandicapThe Carter Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early April at Aqueduct Racetrack. Open to horses three-years-old and up, it is raced over a distance of seven furlongs....
, 9 stakes wins - Awad - Winner of 1993 Secretariat StakesSecretariat StakesThe Secretariat Stakes is a Grade 1 flat horse race in the United States for three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run over a distance of 1¼ miles . Held annually in mid August, it is the brother of both the Arlington Million and the Beverly D...
and 1995 Arlington MillionArlington MillionThe Arlington Million is a Grade 1 flathorse race in the United States for thoroughbred horses aged three years and upward. It is raced over a distance of 1¼ miles on the turf at Arlington Park, Arlington Heights, Illinois in August each year... - Bonnie's Poker - Dam of Silver CharmSilver CharmSilver Charm is an American Champion Thoroughbred race horse. Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Gary Stevens, Silver Charm will be remembered most for winning the 1997 Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes in the Triple Crown....
- Bull Inthe Heather - Winner of 1993 Florida DerbyFlorida DerbyThe Florida Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses held annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida on the Saturday closest to the end of March or the first of April. Added to the racing schedule in 1952, the Grade 1 race is run at 1⅛ miles on the dirt...
- CommentatorCommentator (horse)Commentator , is an American Thoroughbred race horse by the stallion Distorted Humor, sire of 2003 Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide. Like Funny Cide, Commentator is a New York bred as well as a gelding...
- New York Horse of the Year (2007, 2008) - Creator - Winner of 1990 Prix GanayPrix GanayThe Prix Ganay is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,100 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late April or early May....
- Fortunate Prospect - Winner of 1984 San Vincente Stakes, sire of 537 winners
- Futural - Winner of 2001 Mervyn Leroy HandicapMervyn Leroy HandicapThe Mervyn LeRoy Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of May at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California...
and San Bernardino Handicap - Kiri's Clown - Winner of 1995 Sword Dancer Invitational, track record holder for 1.5 miles at SaratogaSaratoga Race CourseSaratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It opened on August 3, 1863, and is the oldest organized sporting venue of any kind in the United States. It is typically open for racing from late July through early September.-History:John...
- Kudos - Winner of 2001 Oaklawn HandicapOaklawn HandicapThe Oaklawn Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the first week of April at Oaklawn Park Race Track in Hot Springs, Arkansas....
- OgygianOgygianOgygian is a multiple Grade 1 stakes winning Thoroughbred race horse and important broodmare sire.-On the Track:...
- Winner of 1985 Belmont Futurity, 1986 Riva Ridge StakesWoody Stephens Breeders' Cup StakesThe Woody Stephens Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. A Grade II event raced on dirt over a distance of seven furlongs, it is open to three-year-old horses....
, 1986 Dwyer StakesDwyer StakesThe Dwyer Stakes is an American Grade II stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred racehorses held annually at Belmont Park racetrack in Elmont, Long Island, New York. Run in early July, it is open to three-year-old horses and is raced over a distance of 1 1/16-miles on dirt...
and 1986 Jerome Handicap - Popcorn DeelitesPopcorn DeelitesPopcorn Deelites is a thoroughbred race horse much better known for his movie career than his race track exploits.Foaled in 1998 by Afternoon Deelites out of Turquoise Gal , the gelding ran for six years as a low-level claimer, yet he did manage to win 11 of his 58 starts and accumulate $56,880 in...
- Professional actor, performed the title role in SeabiscuitSeabiscuit (film)Seabiscuit is a 2003 American biographical film based on the best-selling non-fiction book Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand...
, Winner of 11 races - Special Ring - Winner of 2003 and 2004 Eddie Read HandicapEddie Read HandicapThe Eddie Read Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second half of July at the Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. Open to horses age three and older, it is raced at a distance of one and one-eighth miles on turf...
- Sunshine ForeverSunshine ForeverSunshine Forever is an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by Darby Dan Farm owner John W. Galbreath who owned his dam, Outward Sunshine, and his damsire, Graustark, Sunshine Forever was sired by Galbreath's 1972 Epsom Derby winner, Roberto.Trained by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame...
- Champion Turf HorseEclipse Award for Outstanding Male Turf HorseThe American Champion Male Turf Horse award is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor. In 1971 it became part of the Eclipse Awards program and is awarded annually to a Colt or Gelding, regardless of age, for their performance on grass race courses....
of 1988, Winner of 1988 Budweiser International, Turf Classic, and Man o' War StakesMan O' War StakesThe Man o' War Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Now Raced in July, it is a Grade I event offering a purse of $500,000 and is open to horses three-years-old and up. Run at one and three-eighths mile on the grass, the race sometimes attracts top European horses... - ThornfieldThornfieldThornfield is a Canadian Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. Regally bred by Steve Stavro's Knob Hill Farm, he was sired by Eclipse and Sovereign Award and Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Sky Classic, a son of the English Triple Crown winner, Nijinsky...
- 1999 Canadian Horse of the Year - Wallenda - Winner of 1993 Super DerbySuper DerbyThe Super Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in September at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, Louisiana.Inaugurated in 1980, the Super Derby is open to 3-year-olds and the distance is 1 1/8 miles on the dirt. A Grade II event, it's the richest race held at Louisiana Downs...
- Williamstown - former mile record holder at Belmont
Notable residents in New York
- Thunder RumbleThunder RumbleThunder Rumble is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse whom Bloodhorse called a "sensation at Saratoga" race course for his performances there in 1992....
, the first New York-bred horse in 125 years to win the Grade I Travers StakesTravers StakesThe Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.First held in 1864, it was named for William R. Travers, the president of the old Saratoga Racing Association. His horse, Kentucky, won the first running of the Travers...
.
Former Residents
- BallindagginBallindaggin (horse)Ballindaggin was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He is named for the small village of Ballindaggin in County Wexford, Ireland. Out of the mare Can't Be Bothered, his damsire was the good runner and successful stallion, Stop The Music. Ballindaggin was sired by Noble Nashua, a multiple stakes...
- Winner of 1988 Molson Export ChallengeWoodbine MileThe Woodbine Mile is a Grade I stakes race on turf for Thoroughbred racehorses three years old and up held annually in mid September at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Canada...
. Euthanized on July 22, 2008. - Flying Pidgeon - Winner of 1986 Hollywood Invitational Turf HandicapCharles Whittingham Memorial HandicapThe Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of June at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California...
. Euthanized on December 4, 2008. - RuhlmannRuhlmannRuhlmann was an American millionaire Thoroughbred racehorse who holds the track record of 1:33.4 for one mile on dirt set on March 5, 1989 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California....
- Winner of 1990 Santa Anita HandicapSanta Anita HandicapThe Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up , and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during the winter racing season...
. Died December 24, 2008. - The Wicked NorthThe Wicked NorthThe Wicked North was an American champion Thoroughbred racehorse. He won three Grade I stakes in 1994, for which he was voted U.S. Champion Older Male Horse...
- 1994 Eclipse AwardEclipse AwardThe Eclipse Award is an American thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. The Eclipse Awards, honoring the champions of the sport, are sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association , Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers...
winner. Euthanized March 2011.