Still Going Strong At 39, Is “Athens” The Country's Oldest Living Thoroughbred?

Duplicitous breaks his maiden at Delaware Park in 1990 | Hoofprints, Inc.

As is the case with most of these horses who live on in relative anonymity after their careers on the racetrack end, Duplicitous really didn't accomplish much of anything on the racetrack. He ran just 11 times and won just once, in a $4,000 maiden claimer at Delaware Park way back in 1990.

But ask his owner, Fonda Dixon, and the horse who was renamed Athens, is as special as any racehorse who ever lived.

Athens, pictured with Fonda Dixon | Sarah Andrew

“I think I love him so much because he gives back more than I can give him,” Dixon said. “I manage a barn and there are 13 horses, including Athens. But when I come in the mornings, he nickers for me and he brings so much joy to other people. If he really, really likes you in his eyes, you can do no wrong. I almost still feel like it's an honor to love him. I can't explain it too well, but he's different from any horse that I've been around and he's aware of everything that's going on.”

That's what comes when you have a sweet, kind horse, have had him for 23 years and still have him, alive and frisky, at age 39. These things are all but impossible to pin down, but Dixon said she has done some research and believes that Athens is the oldest living Thoroughbred in the U.S.

“Well, the people at the barn and my vet say he's lived so long because he's loved,” Dixon said. “We try to take the best care, but we know the Lord's in control and he blessed me with him. Now I don't know the answer, except for the fact that he has a big heart.”

In July of 2025, the TDN reported on a horse named New Years Eve, who was believed to be the oldest living Thoroughbred before passing away at age 39.

Athens (second from right), pictured in a funeral procession | Pennsylvania State Police Museum

Duplicitous, who was born on May 15, 1987 in Florida, ran his last race on Nov. 6, 1990, finishing 12th in a $2,500 claimer at Penn National. Dixon is not sure what happened to him immediately after his racing career was done, but in 1997 he was donated to the Pennsylvania State Police and given to its mounted unit.

The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Tactical Mounted Section consists of approximately 28 to 30 horses used for crowd management, search and rescue, and community relations. They are deployed statewide for large events like Penn State football games and concerts.

Athens at work in crowd control gear in Pennsylvania State Police Tactical Mounted Section | Pennsylvania State Police Museum

“When they're on the mount of detail with the state police, they will do some funeral details for an enlisted that's killed in a line of duty,” Dixon said. “They do riots. They do crowd control, like at arts festivals or football games or anywhere there are a lot of people. So he had another career of doing all those things.”

In 2002 Athens was retired by the state police and wound up at a riding stable near Dixon's home in Palmyra, Pennsylvania, She began riding him and called it a matter of love at first sight.

“I worked at the academy, but I had never met Athens, even though his barn was in another building on the grounds,” she said. “And I had heard the other girls talking about Athens and how he would take off with them because he was a race horse. That's how I met him. I was taking lessons and I went in one night and the owner told me that I was taking a lesson on Athens and I just fell in love with him. ”

Athens wears a blue ribbon he won in an over-fences class at a horse show | Sarah Andrew

The stable owner did not want to give up Athens, but in 2003, after Dixon said she all but begged that she be allowed to take over the horse, she was granted her wish. He was just 16 then, so was still the type of horse that Dixon could put to use.

39-year-old Athens at home in his pasture | Sarah Andrew

“After I met him, we would do some events,” she said. “He was wonderful at jumping and he did dressage. After that, then he was just more my pleasure riding horse. I don't ride him anymore because his eyesight's failing. So I walk with him. He'll walk over poles, he'll trot over poles, he'll canter over poles.”

Dixon said that Athens still likes to stay busy.

“The other night, I was taking him out to the pasture and he looked over at the arena and I said, 'Athens, I can't take you over there right now, but if you would like to go in the morning, we can certainly do that,'” Dixon said. “He came out of the pasture this morning, he nudged me for me to take him over to the arena and get his time in. He was telling me, 'I'm ready to work.”

39-year-old Athens, pictured last week | Sarah Andrew

Whether or not Athens is the oldest living Thoroughbred really doesn't matter than much to Dixon. She's just happy to have him. She's given the 39-year-old gelding a good life, but says he's done the same for her.

Athens | Sarah Andrew

“You are loved always” and “Athens: Mr Handsome” signs on his stall door | Sarah Andrew

Athens, pictured with pasturemate Windy | Sarah Andrew

“When I saw his eyes when I had the first lesson I had with him, it was like he was gorgeous and he has soft eyes and he was a take-charge kind of horse, ” she said. “He's just amazing to me and he's amazing to the other people in the barn. They can't get over him. They say that he's part human because he knows when I ask him to do something, even if he doesn't want to do it, he will because I ask him to. He teaches me. He has taught me a lot of lessons.  I want people to know that it's all about him because it is. He's different. I do think he's part human.”