GEORGETOWN, KY. – May 1, 2023 – Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement facility in Georgetown, Ky., announced today that Mystery Trip, an unraced mare who came to the farm courtesy of LNJ Foxwoods, was euthanized due to chronic hoof issues. She was 22.
Bred by W. S. Farish & Kilroy Thoroughbred Partnership, Mystery Trip was foaled in Kentucky on March 13, 2001.
The dark bay mare, who is by Belong To Me-Weekend Surprise, by Secretariat, began her broodmare career with Farish & Kilroy Thoroughbred Partnership. Then, in 2016, the mare was purchased at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for $230,000 by Alex Solis and Jason Litt of Solis/Litt Bloodstock for LNJ Foxwoods, which is owned by Larry, Nanci, and Jaime Roth.
As a broodmare, Mystery Trip’s best progeny include Gallant Fields, winner of four of 25 races and earnings of $297,102, and Variant Perception, winner of two of 17 races and earnings of $105,614.
A half-sister to A.P. Indy and Summer Squall, Mystery Trip came to Old Friends as part of an agreement made between Michael Blowen, president and founder of Old Friends, and LNJ. The agreement came about when LNJ approached Blowen with the idea of retiring some of their mares to Old Friends, and in return LNJ would build a paddock on the farm for them and make a donation to support them.
Mystery Trip, and Gold Round (GB), were the first mares retired to Old Friends by LNJ and arrived on Sept. 7, 2020.
On their Instagram account when Mystery Trip arrived at Old Friends, @LNJFoxwoods wrote: “Responsible ownership is the cornerstone of the LNJ operation,” said LNJ’s Jaime Roth. “Over a year ago, my family met with Michael Blowen with the idea of creating our own paddock for retired LNJ broodmares to peacefully live out the end of their lives. To now see that concept come to fruition is pretty awesome. Knowing that Gold Round, Mystery Trip, and future LNJ broodmares will be celebrated by visitors while having a retirement haven is invaluable to my family.”
After visiting their mare at Old Friends, @LNJFoxwoods later added, “Great to see our retired broodmares Gold Round and Mystery Trip settled in nicely in the new LNJ Paddock @oldfriends; we are grateful to Michael Blowen for this unique opportunity to provide aftercare for @LNJFoxwoods broodmares.”
Mystery Trip enjoyed over two years of peaceful retirement at Old Friends before she died.
“Mystery Trip was as classy as her pedigree suggests,” said Blowen. “Thanks to everyone at LNJ Foxwoods for trusting us with her and supporting all of our retirees. We miss her a lot already.”
