Old Friends at Cabin Creek

Officials at the New York Racing Association (NYRA) have announced the return of its popular summer morning excursion reimagined as the Saratoga Breakfast and Thoroughbred Farm Tours, presented by the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc (NYTB). The lineup turns the spotlight on Thoroughbred aftercare and also welcomes the program's first stallion operation. The 2026 series will begin on opening day of the summer meeting at Saratoga, Friday, July 3, and will continue weekly through the final Sunday of the season, Sept. 6. The weekly lineup features Old Friends at Cabin...

Valiant Crusader (Crusader Sword) passed away at Old Friends at Cabin Creek on Jan. 17, according to farm release on Sunday.  The 25-year-old stallion was humanely euthanized after sustaining injuries in a paddock accident. "Cru meant so much to us," said JoAnn Pepper, owner and manager of Old Friends at Cabin Creek. "He could brighten the day just by standing there. He was fun and happy. He loved every meal, just like his father did. He leaves us sad, but blessed to have known and loved him." Valiant Crusader retired...

Grade I-winning New York-bred Diversify (Bellamy Road) has relocated to Old Friends at Cabin Creek after initially retiring to Old Friends' Dream Chase Farm in Georgetown, Kentucky following his retirement from racing in 2019. "We are thrilled to welcome Diversify back home to New York," said JoAnn Pepper, manager of Old Friends at Cabin Creek. "We are looking forward to him settling in and greeting visitors." Trained by the late Rick Violette, Jr. and owned by Lauren and Ralph Evans, Diversify won the 2017 GI Jockey Club Gold Cup and...

Commentator (Distorted Humor--Outsource, by Storm Bird), a two-time winner of the GI Whitney Handicap for owner Tracy Farmer and trainer Nick Zito, was euthanized on Friday, June 27, at Old Friends at Cabin Creek in New York due to long-term complications from Potomac horse fever. He was 24 years old. Bred in New York by Michael Martinez, the chestnut was a $45,000 Keeneland November weanling and was purchased by Farmer for $135,000 out of the 2002 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Sale. After besting his fellow Empire-breds by over 27 combined lengths in...

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame is partnering with seven Saratoga County farms to host 90-minute tours of each Thoroughbred farm from April through October. The farm tour series kicks off Apr. 27 at  McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds and includes tours of Old Tavern Farm May 18 and June 7. A tour of Song Hill Thoroughbreds will be held June 15; Old Friends at Cabin Creek on July 20; North Country Horses on Aug. 17; Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga on Sept. 21; and Sugar Plum Farm on...

The New York Racing Association, New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, and New York Thoroughbred Breeders will host the third annual New York Thoroughbred Aftercare Day Aug. 17 at Saratoga Race Course. The featured race on Thursday's card will be the $125,000 Rick Violette, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for New York-bred sophomores named for the late trainer and NYTHA President who spearheaded the creation of the TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program and TAKE THE LEAD Retirement Program. Representatives from Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-accredited organizations will be on-site to educate both racing...

Edited Press Release Zippy Chippy, horse racing's most loveable loser, has died. A retiree at Old Friends at Cabin Creek in Greenfield Center, NY., a satellite of Kentucky's Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement, the son of Compliance was 31. Campaigned by owner-trainer Felix Montserrate--who acquired the horse in 1995 by trading a Ford Truck--Zippy is known more for losing races than winning them. In 100 starts, he never crossed the finish line first. But he earned fame in other ways--for being cantankerous and for putting on carnival exhibitions where he once...