Old Friends

Intidab (Phone Trick) and Kayrawan (Mr. Prospector), both graded-stakes winning stallions previously owned by Shadwell Farm, were euthanized due to the infirmities of old age, Old Friends announced Tuesday. Intidab was euthanized at the age of 32 on Jan. 23 while Kayrawan was euthanized at the age of 33 on Jan. 25. The stallions came to Old Friends following the death of Shadwell Farm's founder, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in March of 2021. "Our Old Friends family is saddened to lose these two Shadwell stallions," said...

Old Friends Retirement Farm in Georgetown, Kentucky, has announced the addition of six graded stakes winners to their farm: Count Again, Delaunay, Mission Impazible, Normandy Invasion, Rainbow Heir and Warrior's Reward. "Without a doubt, this has been a banner year for new arrivals at Old Friends," said John Nicholson, President and CEO of Old Friends. "Having these horses take their place as new residents is further testimony that Old Friends continues to earn its reputation as a longstanding leader in Thoroughbred aftercare. "We remain grateful to the connections of all...

Gold Round (Ire) (Caerleon--Born Gold, by Blushing Groom {Fr}), a French Group 3-winning half-sister to three-time GI Breeeders' Cup Mile heroine Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa), was euthanized in her paddock at Old Friends Retirement Facility in Georgetown, Kentucky, on Dec. 19. She was 27 years old and had resided at Old Friends since September 2020, when she was retired by LNJ Foxwoods' Larry, Nanci and Jaime Roth. Bred by Wertheimer et Frere and trained for the brothers by Criquette Head, Gold Round won her maiden in her fourth career start and...

Old Friends' HayRaiser fundraiser kicks off Wednesday, Nov. 27 and continues through Tuesday, Dec. 3. The campaign is aimed to raise funds to support the organization's herd of over 270 horses which requires in excess of 400 round bales to get through winter. "The Thanksgiving season is a perfect time to remember all of our retired Thoroughbred athletes at Old Friends," said John Nicholson, President and CEO of Old Friends. "They have given so much and now it's our turn to give to them. Our ability to care for over...

In honor of the 10th anniversary of Silver Charm's arrival, Old Friends is hosting a special event on Sunday, Dec. 1 so fans can celebrate the day with the 30-year-old who is currently the oldest living Kentucky Derby winner, the retirement home said in a release early Friday. Date: Sunday, December 1, 2024 Time: Noon-2:00 p.m. ET Where: Old Friends, 1841 Paynes Depot Road, Georgetown, Kentucky Admission: Free Another highlight will be Mike Middleton, who will be onsite to demonstrate the making of Raku Pottery using some of Silver Charm's...

Old Friends will host this year's finalists for the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award for a book signing held Wednesday, Nov. 20 from 12:30-2:30 p.m. at the Josephine Abercrombie Center located at 1841 Paynes Depot Road, Georgetown, KY. The finalists include: Katherine Mooney (Isaac Murphy: The Rise and Fall of a Black Jockey), Kim Wickens (Lexington: The Extraordinary Life and Turbulent Times of America's Legendary Racehorse) and Curtis Stock (The Turcottes: The Remarkable Story of a Horse Racing Dynasty). One semi-finalist will also be available for signing: John Paul Miller...

The 2025 Secretariat's Legacy calendar, the eighth and final edition of the series that has already raised almost $39,000 for equine charities, is available for $25 online, the Secretariat Center said via a Wednesday press release. For the second straight year, calendar profits are shared by the Secretariat Center and Old Friends. An additional share will benefit the Maryland Horse Foundation. The calendar series began with the Living Legends theme in 2018, which honored Secretariat's offspring that were still alive, then transitioned to descendants of his broodmares in 2022. "It...

Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm in Georgetown, Kentucky, has welcomed Oct. 30 MSW Noble Drama (Gone Astray), according to a press release early Friday. The 9-year old dark bay gelding arrived at the farm courtesy of his owner and trainer, David Fawkes. Noble Drama earned his ticket to Old Friends when he won the 2018 FTBOA Silver Charm Florida Sire Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, which had been designated as a "retirement for life" at Old Friends race. "From the day we presented Noble Drama with his Old Friends for...

Old Friends will host a week-long celebration of GI Kentucky Derby Big Brown from Oct. 14-18. The event begins with an online silent auction which opened Monday and concludes Friday with a party at the farm with the silent auction closing and a live auction. Visitors will be able to meet the 2008 Kentucky Derby winners, as well as two other new arrivals to the farm: Cozmic One, first-born foal of Zenyatta; and multiple grade winner Mission Impazible. The silent auction ends Friday at 5:15 p.m. EST. All bidders, whether...

Multiple graded stakes winner Mission Impazible (Unbridled's Song--La Paz, by Hold Your Peace) has been retired from stud duties at Sequel Stallions New York and will be sent to Old Friends Equine retirement facility in Georgetown, Kentucky, Sequel announced Tuesday. Winner of the 2010 GII Louisiana Derby and 2011 GII New Orleans Handicap, Mission Impazible sired 2016 Tremont Stakes winner Silver Mission in his first crop and 2017 GII Adirondack Stakes winner Pure Silver in his second crop. He is also the sire of multiple stakes winners Espresso Shot and...

Old Friends will host a Family Day: Meet & Read to Old Friends Retirees event Saturday, Oct. 12 from 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. The event will highlight the book 'Jockey & Her Horse' by Cheryl White, the first black woman jockey to ride and win a professional race in the United States. The Family Day is part of The Heart of the Turf: Racing's Black Pioneers, a traveling exhibit sponsored by the Keeneland Association and developed and shared by the Keeneland Library, which is open to the public in the Josephine...

Big Brown (Boundary), impressive winner of the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness Stakes, has arrived at Old Friends in Kentucky where he will live out his days. Bred in Kentucky by Monticule LLC, Big Brown was a $60,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling and was purchased by the late Paul Pompa, Jr. for $190,000 at the Keeneland April Sale in 2007. Winner of a two-turn turf maiden by better than 11 lengths for trainer Patrick Reynolds, Big Brown made his next start for Rick Dutrow, Jr. after IEAH Stable joined the...