GEORGETOWN, KY – March 21, 2024 – Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky. is pleased to announce the arrival of 2012 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner, I’ll Have Another to the farm on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 for his retirement.
The 14-year old stallion was donated to Old Friends courtesy of his owner, Paul Reddam.
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I’ll Have Another
Welcome Party & Media Opportunity
Date: Friday, March 22, 2024,
Time: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Location: Old Friends Dream Chase Farm
1841 Paynes Depot Road, Georgetown, Ky.
Admission is free.
Come on out and meet the farm’s newest champion!
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“Welcoming I’ll Have Another is an auspicious and historic moment for Old Friends,” said John Nicholson, president and CEO of Old Friends. “We are deeply grateful to Paul Reddam and Doug O’Neill for choosing Old Friends to care for this great champion and to celebrate his magnificent legacy with thousands of our annual visitors. Being able to welcome our fourth Kentucky Derby winner to retire at Old Friends is further tribute to the vision and values of our founder and my friend, Michael Blowen.”
“It is fantastic that he will have a permanent home at Old Friends where everyone can visit him,” said Reddam. “There was a lot of concern when he went to Japan for stud duty and that is permanently put to rest with his return to Kentucky.”
Coincidentally, I’ll Have Another’s arrival on Wednesday came on the birthday of one of O’Neill’s other great horses, Lava Man, who is also a retiree at Old Friends. Lava Man, aka “Coach,” ponied I’ll Have Another to the track for all of his biggest career wins.
I’ll Have Another is the fourth Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner to be retired to the farm. The other three are Silver Charm (1997 winner, arrived 2014), War Emblem (2002 winner, arrived 2015), and Charismatic (1999 winner, arrived 2016).
Bred by Harvey Clarke, who died in 1997, I’ll Have Another, who is by Flower Alley-Arch’s Gal Edith, by Arch, was foaled at Brookdale Farm in Versailles, Ky., on April 1, 2009.
Trained by Doug O’Neill his entire career, I’ll Have Another began racing as a 2-year old in 2011. He won his first start, a maiden special weight race at Hollywood Park on July 3, but did not finish in the money in his other two starts that year.
The chestnut colt came out much stronger as a 3-year old in 2012 and punched his ticket into the 138th Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) at Churchill Downs with wins in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2), and the Santa Anita Derby (G1).
In the Derby, I’ll Have Another defeated race favorite, Bodemeister, by 1-1/2 lengths. Following that win, he headed to Pimlico for the Preakness Stakes (G1), and chased down Bodemeister in the stretch to win by a neck.
I’ll Have Another then travelled to New York for the Belmont Stakes (G1) where he was going to attempt to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed won it in 1978. But, it was not to be, as he had to be scratched from the race due to a leg injury and was retired.
I’ll Have Another finished the year with an undefeated record of four wins in four starts, and $2,629,600 in earnings. He closed the books on his career with five wins, one second, and $2,693,600 in earnings in seven starts. In addition, at the end of the year, he was named 2012 Eclipse Award Winner as Champion 3-Year Old Colt.
“I’ll Have Another was the most special of horses we have owned,” said Reddam. “He was the answer to ‘Do you believe in miracles?’ The entire O’Neill team rode his coattails to a place most of racing only gets to dream about.”
Added O’Neill, “I’ll Have Another is an amazing horse – very blue collar, workman like. He was so naturally competitive. He meant and still means so much to us around the barn. He took us on the ride of a lifetime winning the Santa Anita Derby, Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. We’re so grateful for his brilliance and being able to work alongside him during his amazing career.”
Upon his retirement, I’ll Have Another was sold for $10 million to the Hokkaido-based Big Red Farm in Japan and began his stud career there in 2013. He remained there through 2018, then returned to the United States and stood at Ballena Vista Farm in Ramona, Calif. from 2019 to 2020, before moving to Reddam’s Ocean Breeze Ranch in Bonsall, Calif. from 2021 to 2024.
He was pensioned in 2024 and Reddam decided to send his champion to Old Friends for his retirement.
“We are so grateful to Mr. Reddam and to Doug for trusting us to give their Derby and Preakness winner a safe, healthy, and fun retirement,” said Michael Blowen, founder and past president of Old Friends. “We’re planning to put I’ll Have Another in the paddock adjacent to Lava Man’s. How cool is that?”
O’Neill, who was also instrumental in helping retire Lava Man to Old Friends in 2022, is very happy to see the two of them on the farm for their retirement.
“We’re so honored to have I’ll Have Another retire young and healthy to the greatest retirement home a horse could dream of, Old Friends,” O’Neill said. “For amazing equine athletes who thrive on interaction with horsemen and fans, Old Friends is paradise.
“Having been ponied to the post in his biggest wins of his career by the great Lava Man and now living at the same place with him, is just icing on the cake!
“Thank you I’ll Have Another! Thank you Lava Man! Thank you Old Friends! So grateful for you all.”
