From Michael…
Our new website is up and running. Designed pro-bono by PM Advertising!, the new site features numerous photos, video links and information about our retirees. We are very grateful to our new friends at PM Advertising for their hard work developing the website.
Special kudos to Sylvia (and her husband, Jim) for working so hard and so long to get the new website up and running. It’s unbelievable. Also, many thanks to Monica Driver and Marcelo Arruda of Equus Media for a decade of creating and maintaining our former website without financial compensation – just the knowledge that they helped build Old Friends from one horse to more than 120. We cannot thank them enough.
Saturday, at Old Friends Day at River Downs, Viv, Bea, Mary and I were treated like Grade One winners. The entire staff at River Downs rolled out the red carpet to raise money for all of our great retirees. Special thanks to John Engleheart and track announcer, Pete Aiello for making our special day, extra special.
Zippy Chippy is winding down his summer vacation at Old Friends in Kentucky and seems very excited to get back home to all his friends at Cabin Creek. He’s a very unique race horse. This morning, as Diane and I were feeding, Zippy opened up a four-length lead on Red Down South but, just about 15 yards from the feed tub, he stopped and waited until Red passed him. Old habits die hard. We’re looking forward to Commentator’s return to Kentucky from his Saratoga sojourn. Thanks to JoAnn and Mark and everyone at Cabin Creek for taking such great care of him.
Thanks to Mike Reople who’s donating $25,000 to Old Friends and $25,000 to Anna’s House in gratitude for the NYRA giving him Stay Thirsty’s Travers canoe painted in the familiar Repole silks. Mike even paid a visit to JoAnn and Old Friends Cabin Creek Farm to discuss his gift and see his wonderful retired gelding, Cool ‘n’ Collective, the son of the late Old Friends great, Ruhlmann.
Rapid Redux is making a special appearance at the Secretariat Festival later this month. As most of you know, Rapid won the second Vox Populi Award (Zenyatta was the first) as the People’s favorite and we’re hoping he can meet with one of Old Friends great friends, Penny Chenery at the well-attended Bourbon County event.
From Sylvia…
We know it ‘takes a village’ for the success of Old Friends. Our new website is no different. I’d like to thank Beth Shannon for her help with the horses and bios on the site. The ‘look’ of the site would be sad if not for all the wonderful photos. So thank you! to our photographer friends who let us use their photos all the time. Rick Capone, Matt & Wendy Wooley, Candace Chavez, Laura Battles, and Connie Bush. Thanks to our fantastic volunteers who help in the office for me so I can get stuff done. Joan McGuinn, Linda Spears, Rachel Binegar, Barbara Fossum, Roberta Leckbee and Especially Bea Snyder. If I forgot anyone, please feel free to yell at me. 🙂 AND Cindy Grisolia for keeping me straight and somewhat sane. Thanks always to Michael & Diane… for well, everything.
