Category: Old Friends

Afternoon Deelites Dies at Old Friends

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Just six days after the passing of his owner Burt Bacharach, Afternoon Deelites, a six-time graded-stakes winner, was euthanized Feb. 14 at Old Friends, the Kentucky-based thoroughbred retirement farm, due to complications from colic. He was 31. Old Friends President and Founder Michael Blowen announced his passing Wednesday morning.

Bred by Blue Seas Music Inc., the son of Private Terms–Intimate Girl, by Medaille d’Or, was foaled in West Virginia on Feb. 28, 1992. For his entire racing career he was owned by Bacharach, trained by Richard Mandella, and ridden by Kent Desormeaux.

Afternoon Deelites opened his racing career in spectacular fashion, winning his first five races between 1994 and 1995, four of them stakes races. After winning a Santa Anita maiden special weight as a 2-year old in 1994, he won the GIII Hollywood Prevue Breeders’ Cup Stakes to earn his first graded stakes win, and followed that up with a win in the GI Hollywood Futurity, defeating future Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch.

In 1995 as a 3-year old, Afternoon Deelites continued his winning streak with victories in the GIII San Vicente Breeders’ Cup S. and the GII San Felipe S. His final win in 1995 was in the GI Malibu S. He was second in the GI Santa Anita Derby, and eighth in the GI Kentucky Derby.

At four, Afternoon Deelites won one of his four races, the GII Commonwealth Breeders’ Cup S. at Keeneland. In his final career start, he finished second in the GI Metropolitan H. at Belmont Park on May 27. Afternoon Deelites retired with seven wins (including six of the 11 graded stakes in which he ran) three seconds, and $1,061,193 in earnings in 12 career starts.

Afternoon Deelites began his stud career in 1997 at Brereton Jones’s Airdrie Stud in Midway, KY, and stood there through 2003. He then moved to Clear Creek Stud, LLC, in Folsom, LA, where he stood the rest of his career. He was pensioned in 2011, and sent to Old Friends courtesy of Val Murrell of Clear Creek Stud. “We were honored to have Afternoon Deelites at Clear Creek Stud,” said Murrell. “We are blessed to see him live on through his many daughters.”

“Afternoon Deelites was a beautiful friend,” said Blowen. “I remember Kent Desormeaux standing in front of his stall a few years ago saying ‘Michael, I won the Kentucky Derby on Real Quiet, Fusaichi Pegasus, and Big Brown, and this is the fastest horse I ever rode.’ And he was one of the best retirees who ever called Old Friends home.

“Thanks to Burt, his ex-wife, Angie Dickinson, and his widow, Jane, for loving Afternoon Deelites as much as we did.”

Tom’s Ready Arrives at Old Friends

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Tom’s Ready | Coady

Tom’s Ready (More Than Ready), a three-time graded-stakes winner around one turn, has been added to the roster at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Georgetown, Kentucky.

The 7-year-old, trained by Dallas Stewart for Gayle and Tom Benson’s GMB Racing, was runner-up in the GIII Lecomte S. and GII Louisiana Derby in 2015, but cut back to one turn to win the GII Woody Stephens S. over seven furlongs and the GIII Ack Ack S. going a mile that season. Winner of the GIII Bold Ruler H. in 2016, the Pennsylvania-bred originally entered stud at Spendthrift and was later relocated to Red River Farms in Louisiana.

“It gives us great pleasure to have our wonderful Tom’s Ready retire to Old Friends,” Gayle Benson said. “He was our first purchase, he is a Grade II winner, and he raced in the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders’ Cup, so we are very proud of him and he is deserving of the great care that Old Friends will provide.”

Old Friends Launches Memorabilia Auction

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Old Friends is launching an online auction series that will feature pieces from a private collection of racing memorabilia.  The auction series is a collaboration between Old Friends and the estate of Julie Albright, a longtime racing supporter and collector, and will be highlighted by original saddle cloths, collectible stallion halters, horse shoes, tickets, programs and much more from some of America’s most accomplished equine athletes. A portion of the sale proceeds will benefit the non-profit organization.

The first in the series of online auctions will launch Aug. 30 at 6 pm and sales will be offered weekly throughout the fall via the Old Friends eBay store.

Old Friends Launches New Membership Program “The Hoof Patrol”

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(Illustration by Remi Bellocq)

GEORGETOWN, KY –  MAY 30, 2019  – Old  Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Georgetown, KY, is introducing a new fan-based membership initiative, “The Hoof Patrol,” which will serve to educate members and aid with equine retirees facing costly and ongoing hoof-related issues.
Members who join the The Hoof Patrol will be able to choose from different levels of support, and their contribution will supply a continuous funding stream to for Old Friends retirees that have short and long-term ailments–everything from common abscesses to serious issues such as Laminitis.
All Hoof Patrol memberships will include a gift of an official  key chain, a full year of email updates and information, including spotlight horse case-studies, videos & photos, “Talk to the Hoof” Q & A’s, and photo opportunities with Old Friends Hoof Patrol horses when visiting the farm.
Members will also enjoy contest eligibility for giveaways of shoes worn by selected Hoof Patrol horses.
Fans will have three Hoof Patrol support levels to choose from:
Bronze Shoe Member ($50 annually)
Your annual donation provides supplies directly for the Hoof Patrol Hoof care Tool Box. Supplies for care of hoof ailments include:
 Keratex hoof hardener
Animalintex hoof poultice
Betadine
Cast padding
Elastikon (4″)
3M Vetwrap
 Heavy duty duct tape
Farriers Formula Double strength
EasyBoot Rx therapy hoof boot
Soft-Ride hoof boots
Custom fit glue on shoes
Silver Shoe Member ($125 annually)
Your annual donation provides support for horses experiencing short-term hoof issues such as abscesses, bruises, cracks, and general soreness.
Gold Shoe Member ($250 annually)
Your annual donation provides support for horses experiencing long-term issues, such as chronic arthritis, Laminitis, brittle hooves, quarter cracks, issues associated with Cushing’s Disease, and other geriatric issues.
For additional information and to join, interested fans can either  CLICK HERE, visit the Old Friends website at www.oldfriendsequine.org and follow the link, or call the main office at (502) 863-1775.
(Our sincere thanks to artist Remi Bellocq for the fantastic official Hoof Patrol logo! )

Brees, Saints Lend Old Friends a Helping Hand

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Edited Press Release

Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement facility based in Georgetown, KY, owes a big debt to the NFL this week–specifically New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

Thanks to the Big Ten record-holder–whose team will kick-off against the Carolina Panthers in the first NFL Wild Card Round this Sunday–one of Old Friends’s retired mares was able to have a life-saving operation.

When one of its residents, Misszoey Belle, a now 13-year-old mare, showed sudden and severe signs of a gastrointestinal disorder in mid-December, it was quickly determined that surgery was her only chance for survival. A hard-knocker on the track, Misszoey Belle had 74 starts and seven wins, earning only $70,000 in her career and racing until she was eight. After her final start, she was bought back by her breeder, John C. Oxley and retired to Old Friends.

The mare was rushed to Park Equine Clinic in Lexington, which usually provides Old Friends with cost-free veterinary care. But an equine surgeon was not available, so the clinic called in Dr. Christopher Johnson, whose Equine Surgical Services is located in nearby Versailles, KY. She underwent surgery to repair a very serious intestinal obstruction known as an epiploic foramen entrapment. Her life spared, Misszoey Belle returned to Old Friends a few days later and is now recovering well with an excellent prognosis.

Discovering that the mare was an Old Friends retiree, Dr. Johnson offered to waive his fee. But knowing that he was a huge Saints fan, Old Friends resident veterinarian Dr. Bryan Waldridge offered Johnson a concession: How about an autographed football?

“I went to high school in New Orleans, so I have been a Saints fan as long as I’ve been alive,” says Johnson.

Luckily, New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson is also a well-known racehorse owner, and one of his former runners, Saint Aloysius, was retired to Old Friends after suffering a career-ending injury last year. Old Friends founder and President Michael Blowen made a call to the Saints’ office and Brees was kind enough to help out.

“We always love helping Old Friends and Michael,” said Greg Bensel, who manages GMB Racing for the Bensons and is also the Senior Vice President of Communications for the Saints. “After all, he was there for us when we needed a good home for Saint Aloysius.

“Drew is so kind and giving with his time that when we need a signed ball he’s always available,” Bensel continued. “And to be honest, he loves the horse racing industry and he loves that the horses at Old Friends get great care. So while he is busy planning for the Panthers game, I know he feels great about this.”

“It’s really great to see professional athletes such as Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints helping our professional athletes like Misszoey Belle when they need us most,” said Blowen. “We can’t thank the team and Dr. Johnson enough.”