GEORGETOWN, Ky. (WKYT) – The founder of Old Friends, a retirement home for thoroughbreds, is stepping down, but he says he will remain in the saddle. Michael Blowen started Old Friends in 2003. The retirement home for champion thoroughbreds has grown over the years from 52 acres to 300 acres. One hundred sixty-one retired thoroughbreds […]
[ Read More ]GEORGETOWN, Ky. (AP) — Michael Blowen’s love for horses stretched far beyond the racetrack and spurred him into starting a mid-life career as founder of a retirement farm in Kentucky, where older thoroughbreds could spend their remaining years in dignity and security — long after their earning days were over. For two decades, his Old […]
[ Read More ]GEORGETOWN, KY – Jan. 3, 2024 — PRESS OPPORTUNITY Date: Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024 Time: 1-4 p.m. Location: Josephine Abercrombie Center at the top of the hill at Old Friends, 1841 Paynes Depot Rd, Georgetown, Ky. Subject: Michael Blowen stepping down as President of Old Friends; John Nicholson, former Executive Director of the Kentucky Horse Park, to take over as […]
[ Read More ]GEORGETOWN, KY – Dec. 9, 2023 – Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky., is pleased to announce that Godolphin’s multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire Alpha arrived at the farm on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023 for his retirement. Bred by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Darley in America, Alpha, who is by Bernardini–Munnaya, by Nijinsky […]
[ Read More ]The 8-year old bay gelding, who ran in the 2018 Kentucky Derby, ended up racing in Puerto Rico where he was retired GEORGETOWN, KY – Dec. 8, 2023 – Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement facility in Georgetown, Ky., is happy to announce that, through a group effort, Noble Indy arrived at the farm for his retirement on […]
[ Read More ]GEORGETOWN, Ky. – Dec. 3, 2023 – Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement facility in Georgetown, Ky., is saddened to report that Sun King, a multiple graded stakes winning millionaire, was euthanized at Rood and Riddle on Saturday, Dec. 2, due to inoperable cancer. He was 21. The dark bay stallion has been at Old Friends for six […]
[ Read More ]The 14-year old winner of the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Sprint was donated to the farm courtesy of his owners, Richard & Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc. GEORGETOWN, Ky. – Nov. 18, 2023 – Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky., has announced that Work All Week, the 2015 Eclipse Award-winning Champion Sprinter, and 2014 Breeders’ […]
[ Read More ]The 9-year old gelding comes to the farm courtesy of Adam Wachtel and his ownership group. GEORGETOWN, KY – Nov. 15, 2023 – Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky., is pleased to announce the arrival of graded-stakes winning millionaire, Channel Maker, on Tuesday, Nov. 14. The 9-year old award-winning chestnut gelding was donated to […]
[ Read More ]The 9-year old gelding, who won his first Grade 1 race in his last year on the track, was donated to Old Friends courtesy of his owner, Tom Egan GEORGETOWN, KY – Nov. 10, 2023 – Red Knight, a multiple graded-stakes millionaire has been retired to Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky. The 9-year-old chestnut […]
[ Read More ]GEORGETOWN, Ky. – Oct. 31, 2023 – Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky., is saddened to announce that 10-year old Tom’s Ready, a multiple graded-stakes winner who earned over a million dollars in his racing career, was euthanized on Monday, Oct. 30, 2023 at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky. due to […]
[ Read More ]
