Archive for July 2023

In concert with the refurbishment of our original tobacco barn into the Ms. Josephine Abercrombie Center at Old Friends, High Road Productions is producing individual videos celebrating 15 of our retirees, to be shown on the video screens in the center. Would you like to sponsor all or a portion of a video? For donations […]

“In the never-ending search for the perfect Thoroughbred, lovers of the sport have settled for ‘old school’ and ‘all-around’ as a form of lofty compromise, and a precious few have come along fill the bill. Round Table could win from seven furlongs on the dirt to 12 furlongs on the grass. Dr. Fager was a […]

“After the recent news of Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado’s retirement, racing fans, friends and family gathered on a rainy afternoon at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, Ky., on July 15 to celebrate the native Peruvian’s career and achievements.” Read more at Blood-Horse.

The history of horse racing is filled with rags-to-riches stories of jockeys, trainers, and horses that rise from humble beginnings to achieve success at the highest levels of the sport. Few such stories can compare with that of the remarkable gelding Lava Man, who went from claimer to Hall of Famer to dominate California horse […]

“She deserves a forever home,” wrote Michael Ann Ewing when she contacted Old Friends. “I don’t think she can stand up to the rigors of racing mentally and would run at a lower level. I’m not sure that her scarred back would hold up for someone who might want to ride her for a couple […]

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 […]

After an unexpected run down a highway two years ago, and then surviving a fire, the now four-year old filly showed her mettle to come back and win a race. GEORGETOWN, KY – July 21, 2023 – Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement facility in Georgetown, Ky., is happy to announce that the gutsy filly, Bold and […]

Proud of its location just 10 miles north of Lexington, in the heart of Kentucky’s horse country, Georgetown holds firmly to its small-town vibes and equestrian ties. In town, locals can visit and help look after more than 240 retired racehorses and breeding stallions at the Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Facility, including past Kentucky Derby and […]

GEORGETOWN, KY. – July 9, 2023 – Old Friends’ Belmont Stakes winners, Sarava and Birdstone, are pleased and honored to host a retirement celebration for their Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado.   When: Saturday, July 15, 2023 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. It will be held rain or shine. Where: Old Friends Dream Chase Farm, 1841 Paynes […]

Former movie critic Michael Blowen founded the well-known equine retirement facility 20 years ago just outside Lexington, Kentucky. Old Friends is now home to more than 250 horses in various locations, including a new offshoot in Japan – as he tells Amanda Duckworth Read more at Thoroughbred Racing Commentary.