We’re very excited about seeing everyone on the first Sunday in May, our 2008 Homecoming at Old Friends. We can’t wait to show everyone the new retirees and explain our plans for the future. First, one piece of bad news. We lost Occasion last night. She was 27 years old and spent her declining years with Mr. and Mrs. Steven Upchurch at Pleasant View Farm. She was given great care and consideration but her life prior to coming to Old Friends hadn’t been easy and old age finally caught up to her. She was a lovely mare and I know Old Friends made her last few years as pleasant as possible. We will have a necropsy performed and she will be buried at Old Friends at Dream Chase Farm.

The Homecoming looks better than ever. The Gallatin County Youth Bluegrass Band will perform a song they wrote in tribute to our recent retiree Danthebluegrassman. “The Ballad of Danthebluegrassman” is sure to top the charts. As most of you know, “Dan” was named by owner Mike Pegram after Dan Chandler, the bon vivant son of “Happy” Chandler and uncle to U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler. Dan’s daughter, Erin, visited last week and she’s written a play and script based on her life and plans are afoot to shoot the film here. “Dan” is also making an appearance at the Natl. Bluegrass Festival at the Kentucky Horse Park in June. We also have Cappucino Kid, courtesy of Alex Brown Racing, SOS Equines and Linda Madsen.

Thanks to everyone at Stonewall Stallions. They stand Medaglia D’Oro, half-brother to Cappucino Kid and they care very much what happens to retired racehorses. They are donating $1100 to Old Friends to cover Dan’s transportation. They are setting up a Stonewall Stallion Fund of $10,000 upon which we can draw on for transporting any in-jeopardy Thoroughbred to Old Friends from anywhere in the country. And that’s just the beginning of this precedent setting agreement between an active breeding farm and a non-profit retirement home.

We have an astounding collection of halters for the HALTERMANIA portion of the Homecoming. Sylvia has listed the halters…including Storm Cat, A.P. Indy and Invasor…on the website. Check it out and make your bids. We also need volunteers for the Homecoming and on a regular basis. If you can afford a few hours to act as a tour guide, gift shop helper or general volunteer we’d really appreciate it. We still need auction items. If you’ve got a horse racing item that’s just sitting in the basement that you think might raise money for our deserving retirees we’d love to include it. Just let Sylvia know at (502) 863-1775.

Katey Barrett is spearheading the 2009 Feed For a Day calendar and we’ll be accepting reservations for specific dates through June 20th. Thank you so much for participating this year and I hope that the date you’d like for next year isn’t taken. The sooner you sign up the better.

The weather really has improved. The retirees are munching on the green grass and their winter coats are shedding. I can’t wait to show everyone around. Thanks again for your support and generosity. Old Friends is your place.