GEORGETOWN, KY – June 9, 2023 – Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Farm in Georgetown, Ky., is pleased to announce the arrival of 2014 Travers Stakes (G1) winner V. E. Day to the farm.

A chestnut son of English Channel--California Sunset, by Deputy Minister, V. E. Day came to Old Friends following the death of his owner-breeder Magalen O. Bryant in 2021. Bryant's representative, Johnathan Miller, and her daughter, K. C. Graham, visited Old Friends earlier this year when it was decided the stallion would retire from stud duty.

This is the filly who ran down the highway, was in a fire and won her comeback race, welcome to Old Friends!!!

GEORGETOWN, KY – July 21, 2023 – 

Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement facility in Georgetown, Ky., is happy to announce that the gutsy filly, Bold and Bossy, arrived at the farm on July 20, 2023, to enjoy her retirement.

Bred by Richard Snyder and Connie Snyder, Bold and Bossy, who is by Strong Mandate--Happybirthdaybaby, by Successful Appeal, was foaled on May 6, 2019 in Kentucky, and retires with a career record of one win, two thirds, and $21,784 in earnings in six career starts.

However, the story of Bold and Bossy, who is owned by Bantry Farms and was trained by Michael Ann Ewing, goes beyond her short racing career. In fact, her story begins before her first official race when she went on an unexpected adventure.

It happened on Aug. 21, 2021. As she was heading to the starting gate at Ellis Park for her first race as a 2-year old, something spooked her, she started bucking, and threw her jockey, Miguel Mena, to the dirt.

She then began running down the track, jumped a fence, and found herself running out on the highway for a reported 30 minutes, startling many drivers along the way, before horsemen from the track caught up to her, calmed her down, and brought her back to her barn.

However, that wasn't the end of this filly's adventure. Later that night, the barn she was in caught fire. Thankfully, all of the horses in it were saved, however, she was the only horse to suffer some burns.

For many horses, that would have been the end of her racing career. But, this gutsy filly seemed determined to make a comeback, and after some down time, she happily resumed her training.

Finally, almost a year later, on July 5, 2022, she returned to the track for a maiden special weight race at Belterra Park. The fact that she even made it back to race is a great story, but Bold and Bossy went one better, and finished third – in the money – out of eight horses that day.

Then, to add even more to her storybook career, on Aug. 8, 2022, at Thistledown, Bold and Bossy ran in another maiden special weight race and came away with a one-length victory to complete her amazing comeback.

Thank goodness her connections love her and found her a good home! She is lovely and she has certainly been through a lot-- She is kinda famous and I am sure lots of people will want to visit with her!!!!

Fearless has been retired to Old Friends

GEORGETOWN, KY – Aug. 4, 2023 – Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky., is pleased to announce that Fearless, a multiple-graded stakes winning millionaire, arrived at the farm Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023.

The 7-year old bay gelding was retired to the farm courtesy of his owner, Mike Repole, a longtime supporter of Old Friends.

“Fearless was a gutsy and determined racehorse with the perfect name,” said Repole. “The stable really thought Old Friends would be a great place for him to spend the rest of his career with other great horses.

“Fearless showed up every time and gave his best. He exhibited his versatility by winning from distances of six furlongs to a mile and three quarters. He was a graded stakes winner of $1,251,450.

“I’m thrilled people will be able to visit him at Old Friends.”

Bred by the Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust, Fearless, who is by Ghostzapper--And Why Not, by Street Cry (Ire), was foaled in Kentucky on March 17, 2006.

Initially owned by China Horse Club International and WinStar Farm, and trained his entire career by Todd Pletcher, Fearless broke his maiden in his first start in 2019 as a 3-year old in a maiden special weight race at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 22.

In 2020 as a 4-year old, he won two allowance optional claiming races, the first at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 1 and the second at Churchill Downs on May 30. Then, following a sixth in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill on June 27, he closed out his year with a win in the WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream on Feb. 27 for his first graded-stakes win.

In 2021 as a 5-year old, he finished second in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) at Oaklawn Park on April 17, and third in the Pimlico Special Match Series Stakes (G3) at Pimlico on May 14. L

Repole seems to be a responsible owner who looks out for his horses after they ar through racing. We need more owners like him. Good luck to Fearless who had a wonderful career- he will make new friends and enjoy the rest of his life at a wonderful place

Welder has arrived at Old Friends

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/270797/welder-retired-to-old-friends

He is beautiful- he will have a wonderful life at Old Friends!

Guess he can come out of my watch list now! Didn't know he was retired.  An amazing career he had and into older years, too!

Are you watching the FT sales this evening?  Am trying to keep an eye on some of them incl.  hip #

No, I don't watch the sales very much