Old Friends Equine facts for kids

Horses at Old Friends Equine

Old Friends is a special place in Georgetown, Kentucky, where retired Thoroughbred racehorses can live out their lives peacefully. It's a nonprofit organization that helps horses who are done with their racing careers. Old Friends started small with just two horses, but now it owns a big farm and cares for over 150 retired Thoroughbreds. It's also the only place in the United States that regularly takes in male horses called stallions.

A Home for Heroes: How Old Friends Began
Meet the Stars: Famous Horses at Old Friends
- Famous Horses at Old Friends in New York
- Famous Horses at Old Friends at Kentucky Downs
Remembering Our Friends: Deceased Horses at Old Friends
The Old Friends Stakes at Kentucky Downs
See also

A Home for Heroes: How Old Friends Began

Geldings share pastures at Old Friends, becoming close friends

Old Friends was created in 2003 by Michael Blowen, who used to be a movie critic. He was inspired to start the farm after a famous racehorse named Ferdinand, who won the 1986 Kentucky Derby, sadly passed away in 2002. Michael wanted to make sure that other famous horses, and even those who weren't as well-known, would have a safe and happy retirement. Having famous horses at the farm helps raise money, which means more horses can be cared for.

Over the years, Old Friends has grown! In 2009, a smaller farm in Greenfield Center, New York, became a part of Old Friends. It's called Old Friends at Cabin Creek. Then, in 2015, Old Friends teamed up with Kentucky Downs to open another small farm near the Kentucky-Tennessee border. This farm can house up to 10 retired Thoroughbreds.

In January 2015, Old Friends received a special award called the Eclipse Award. This award honors amazing service and contributions to the Thoroughbred horse racing world.

Sadly, in January 2016, a fire destroyed one of the barns at Old Friends. Luckily, no horses or people were hurt. Plans are now underway to rebuild a new, safer barn with the help of donations.

At Old Friends, horses spend as much time as possible outside in their pastures. They have shelters to go into if the weather is bad. Male horses who have been gelded (called geldings) often share a pasture with one or two other horses. They become very close friends! Stallions, however, need their own separate pastures because they are more protective of their space. But they still interact with each other, sometimes even racing along the fences! Visitors to Old Friends can often touch and feed most of the retired horses, which is a really cool experience.

Meet the Stars: Famous Horses at Old Friends

Silver Charm enjoying his retirement at Old Friends

The main farm in Kentucky is home to many horses, from those who won big races to others who raced at lower levels. Here are some of the well-known residents:

Affirmed Success (born 1994, gelding) – He won several big races, including the 1998 Forego Handicap and Vosburgh Stakes. He retired to Old Friends in 2007.
Alphabet Soup (1991, stallion) – This horse won the 1996 Breeders' Cup Classic, a very important race. He came to Old Friends in 2015.
Amazombie (2006, gelding) – He won the 2011 Breeders' Cup Sprint and was named the best sprinter of the year!
Commentator (2001, gelding) – He won the Whitney Handicap twice and was named New York Horse of the Year in 2007 and 2008.
Eldaafer (2005, gelding) – Winner of the 2010 Breeders' Cup Marathon. He retired to Old Friends in 2014 and even brought his goat friends, Yahoo and Google, with him!
Game On Dude (2007, gelding) – He was amazing, winning the Santa Anita Handicap three times and earning over $6 million! He retired in 2014.
I'm Charismatic (2001, gelding) – He is the son of a famous horse named Charismatic. He raced 92 times and was bought in 2012 to retire at Old Friends.

Rapid Redux with Rail Trip

Little Mike (2007, gelding) – He won the Breeders' Cup Turf, a major grass race.
Little Silver Charm (?) – This is a Miniature horse and the official "spokeshorse" for Old Friends! He's one of the few non-Thoroughbreds at the farm. He even has a book about his life there.
Rail Trip (2005, gelding) – He won the Hollywood Gold Cup and earned over $1.5 million. He joined Old Friends in 2014.
Rapid Redux (2006, gelding) – He set a record by winning 22 races in a row! He came to Old Friends in 2012.
Silver Charm (1994, stallion) – A very famous horse who won the 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, and the 1998 Dubai World Cup. He's in the Hall of Fame and retired to Old Friends in 2014 after living in Japan.
Special Ring (1997, gelding) – He won the Grade 1 Eddie Read Handicap twice, in 2003 and 2004. He joined Old Friends in 2005.
Sun King (2002, stallion) – Another son of Charismatic, he won several graded stakes races. He retired to Old Friends in 2017.
Touch Gold (1994, stallion) – He won the 1997 Belmont Stakes, stopping Silver Charm from winning the Triple Crown! He retired to Old Friends in 2015.
Winning Dubai (2009, gelding) – This horse raced in Puerto Rico and was sent to Old Friends after Hurricane Maria. He raced over 90 times and won 22 of them.

Famous Horses at Old Friends in New York

This Hard Land – He won seven races and is named after a song by Bruce Springsteen.
King Congie (2008, gelding) – He was a stakes winner who raced in the 2011 Preakness Stakes. He was rescued and then donated to Old Friends in 2016.

Famous Horses at Old Friends at Kentucky Downs

Ball Four (2001, gelding) – He won the Kentucky Cup Classic and set two track records.
Good Lord (2007, gelding) – He won 9 stakes races and earned over $800,000!
Sgt. Bert (2001, gelding) – He won the Woodford Stakes twice and set a track record.
Thornfield (1994, gelding) – He won the Canadian International and was named Canadian Horse of the Year in 1999.

Remembering Our Friends: Deceased Horses at Old Friends

Many wonderful horses have lived at Old Friends and have since passed away. Here are some of them:

Awad – Winner of the 1993 Secretariat Stakes and 1995 Arlington Million. He passed away in 2011.
A. P. Slew – He was a great-great grandson of the famous mare Silver Spoon. He passed away in 2014.
Appygolucky – He was known as the "King of the Claimers" at Beulah Park and held a track record there. He passed away in 2009.
Ballindaggin – Winner of the 1988 Molson Export Challenge. He passed away in 2008.
Black Tie Affair – He won the 1991 Breeders' Cup Classic and was named Horse of the Year. He passed away in 2010.
Bonnie's Poker – She was the mother of the famous Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, Silver Charm. She passed away at age 28 in 2010.
Bonapaw – He earned over a million dollars and raced more than 40 times. He passed away in 2017.
Bull In Heather – Son of Ferdinand, he won the 1993 Florida Derby. He passed away in 2014.
Catlaunch (2001, gelding) – He raced over 100 times and earned over $1 million at smaller tracks. He passed away in 2018.
Charismatic – A very famous horse who won the 1999 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. He passed away at age 21 shortly after arriving at Old Friends from Japan.
Creator (1986 stallion) – Winner of the 1990 Prix Ganay. He was one of the first stallions brought back to Old Friends from overseas for retirement in 2004. He passed away in 2015.
Crusader Sword (1985 stallion) – Winner of the 1997 Hopeful Stakes. He was a successful sire (father of many winners). He passed away in 2010.

Genuine Reward at age 25

Gulch at age 31

Diamond Stripes – Winner of the 2008 Godolphin Mile. He passed away at age 10.
Fortunate Prospect – Winner of the 1984 San Vincente Stakes and father of 537 winners! He passed away at age 32 in 2012.
Genuine Reward (1993, stallion) – He was one of only two living foals of the Kentucky Derby-winning mare Genuine Risk. He never raced but was a sire of polo ponies before coming to Old Friends in 2015. He passed away in 2018.
Gulch (1984 stallion) – He was a champion sprinter and the father of Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch. He passed away at age 32 in 2016.
Halo America – A mare who won multiple graded stakes races. She passed away at age 26.
Hidden Lake (1993 mare) – She was named the best older mare in 1997. She retired to Old Friends in 2009 and passed away in 2016.
Kiri's Clown (1989 stallion) – Winner of the 1995 Sword Dancer Handicap and held a track record at Saratoga. He passed away in 2014.
Key Contender (1988 stallion) – Winner of the 1995 Suburban Handicap with over 50 races. He passed away in 2012.
Ogygian (1983 stallion) – He won several important races in 1985 and 1986. He was the oldest resident at Old Friends when he passed away at age 32.
Popcorn Deelites (1998, gelding) – This horse was a low-level racer who became a movie star! He played the main horse in the 2003 film Seabiscuit. He joined Old Friends in 2005 and passed away in 2022.
Precisionist – He won the 1985 Breeders' Cup Sprint and is in the Hall of Fame. He passed away in 2006.
Prized – Winner of the 1989 Breeders' Cup Turf. He passed away in 2014 at age 28.
Sarava (1999, stallion) – He won the 2002 Belmont Stakes in a huge surprise! He retired from breeding in 2012.
Sunshine Forever – Winner of several big turf races in 1988 and was named Champion Turf Horse. He passed away in 2014.
Ruhlmann – Winner of the 1990 Santa Anita Handicap. He passed away in 2008.
The Wicked North – He won three Grade 1 races and was named Champion Older Horse in 1994. He passed away in 2011.
Thunder Rumble – He was the first horse from New York in 125 years to win the Travers Stakes. He passed away in 2015.
Will's Way – Winner of the 1996 Travers Stakes.
Tinners Way – He won the Pacific Classic twice and was the last son of the famous horse Secretariat. He passed away at age 27.
Tour of the Cat (1998, gelding) – He won over $1.1 million in graded stakes races. He came to Old Friends in 2009 and passed away in 2018.
Wallenda – Winner of the 1993 Grade 1 Super Derby and a son of Gulch. He passed away in 2016.
War Emblem (1999, stallion until 2015, gelding thereafter) – He won the 2002 Kentucky Derby and Preakness. He passed away in 2020 at age 21.
Williamstown – He used to hold a mile record at Belmont. He passed away in 2015.
Winston (1993, gelding) – A miniature horse who was a companion at the Kentucky Derby Museum. He retired to Old Friends and passed away in 2018.
Zippy Chippy – He holds the record for the most losses in American racing, known as "racing's most lovable loser"!

Some horses were even re-buried at Old Friends because their original graves were in danger:

Noor – A Hall of Fame Champion who was re-buried from his old farm because of planned construction.
Skip Away – A Hall of Fame Champion and 1998 Horse of the Year. He was re-buried from his old farm after it was sold.
Glacial Princess – She was Ohio Horse of the Year twice. She was re-buried after her resting place at Beulah Park was going to be developed.
Springsteel – An "Iron Horse" gelding who raced 76 times and won 20 of them. He was re-buried after his old racetrack was set for development.

The Old Friends Stakes at Kentucky Downs

In 2015, the Kentucky Downs racetrack started a special race called the Old Friends Stakes. This race is held on a day dedicated to Old Friends and helping retired Thoroughbreds. The winner of this race not only gets a share of the prize money but is also guaranteed a spot at Old Friends when they retire!

The first Old Friends Stakes in 2015 was won by a horse named Kalamos. The second race in 2016 was won by Flatlined. In 2017, Sir Dudley Digges won the race. He was famous for winning the 2016 Queen's Plate, a big Canadian race.