June 9, 2006

 

This week marks two of the most significant events in the brief history of Old Friends. We now have a permanent home and our first Hall of Fame Champion -Precisionist. Thanks to the support of many Old Friends contributors including Jim Calloway and Elmer Whitaker of Whitaker Bank, my great friend John Ciccolo and realtors Betty Sue Walker and Bob

Cornett we were able to purchase Dream Chase Farm from Clay Neel for $1,195,000. It's 52 acres of beautiful bluegrass with two barns, a very nice home and another house that we'll use for an office, gift shop and manager's residence. A couple of rooms in the big home will be available to Old Friends supporters beginning in August. The location couldn't be better. It's ten minutes from Midway and five miles from Hagyard's Equine Institute and the Kentucky Horse Park on Paynes Depot Rd. (Rt.62) headed toward Georgetown.

 

Our first resident stallion (Mary and Beaver, two miniature Sicilian donkeys and Remington, a gelding arrived first) is the Hall of Fame Champion Precisionist. At 25, he looks as if he could still win a few more Grade Ones to add to his six. As a headline in the Daily Racing Form read when Precisionist was inducted into the National Racing Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs - "He Looked Fast Standing Still." Chris McCarron has already stopped by to see his old pal. Over the next few weeks we'll be gradually and carefully moving all of our retirees to the new facility. Under the watchful eyes of Dr. Andy Clark, CEO of Hagyard's, and the help of Sallee Vans we hope that the 10-15 minute trip to their permanent home will be safe and as stress-free as possible.

  

We are very grateful to Alfred Nuckols, Jr. for inviting us to Hurstland Farm and allowing us to develop and grow to where we needed more space and a home of our own. Alfred and manager Tim Overton made us feel at home even when the tour buses threatened to overwhelm Hurstland. We hope everyone will continue to visit during the transition and enjoy our deserving retirees. Check out www.bloodhorse.com and www.wiretowire.net for the first

two stories on the changes. Also visit our website for pictures of Precisionist's arrival.  We'll keep you posted with updates while we make the move and, once again, thanks to everyone for everything you've done to make the idea of dignified Thoroughbred retirement a reality.

 

Michael

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\January 16, 2006

Thanks to you, our retirees were overwhelmed with Christmas and birthday presents. As you know, all Thoroughbreds become one year older on January 1 each year but we’ve added their foaling dates and will celebrate their “actual” birth dates when the time comes. Here’s the update: Bonnie’s Poker (24) (3/30/82), Creator (21), Fortunate Prospect (25) (2/24/81) Invigorate (14), Narrow Escape (23) (3/22/83), Ogygian (23) (3/17/83), Riva Way (8) (4/24/98), Ruhlmann (21), Special Ring (9) (3/9/97), Sunshine Forever (21) (3/14/85),  Swan’s Way (17) and Taylor’s Special (25) (4/14/81).
 
While we are still deeply disheartened by the losses of Estrapade and Fraise, the rest of our retirees have never looked better. Alfred Nuckols, Jr., our gracious landlord and Board member, received a $50,000 grant from the Kentucky Ag-Tourism Board to repair the barn where our horses are housed during inclement weather. Thanks to O. David Thompson for providing the roof at cost and Luis Sanchez and his crew for all their hard work. The steel roof was just finished and Alfred and architect Rex Cecil, another valuable Board member, are working on the interior. 

Southern States, Triple Crown feeds and Performance supplements are all providing state-of-the-art nutrition for all of our retirees.   We’re working on raising money for automatic waterers for each paddock and two run-in sheds for our geldings and mares to upgrade their facilities even further. Now that they know the ropes, they’re starting to get very  demanding. 

Of course, our primary goal for 2006 is to provide more great Champions with a dignified retirement. We have expanded our international network to South America. I can’t get into too many details but, suffice it to say, we’re getting more and more respect from the international racing and breeding community and we anticipate more stallions returning this year. We have representatives advocating for us in all the major horseracing and breeding venues. At home, several farms are donating portions of stallion seasons to Old Friends through the Thoroughbred Charities of America auction. They include Hurstland, Buck Pond, Winstar, Mill Ridge, Shadwell, Lane’s End, Darley at Jonabell, Pin Oak, Mill Ridge and Hopewell. Last year, we received a partial share in Victory Gallop. Not only will the additional funds really help but it’s an indication that many breeders realize that Old Friends is here to stay. And that we’re all part of the same great sport. We just are trying to write a better final chapter to their lives by showing everyone…fans, owners and breeders…our love and respect for all these horses.

Thanks so much to all of our visitors. Even in the cold weather, these great old Thoroughbreds are drawing fans. They love company and, of course, carrots and mints. Diane White, my wife, a former columnist for The Boston Globe is now creating horse treats designed specifically for each retiree. For example, she adds peppermints to Sunshine Forever’s because this multiple Grade One winner and Eclipse Award Champion prefers them while Ogygian sticks strictly to a natural diet. The other night when I got home I thought she was baking a cake for my birthday but, alas, the warm, comforting aroma was heart-shaped horse treats for Creator. 
 
Thanks also for the e-mails and notes. We try to answer each one. They are our fuel. In another week or two…with the author’s permission…we will put a few samples up on the website. 

On May 7, the day after the Kentucky Derby, we will have our annual Homecoming from 4 p.m.-9 p.m. here at Hurstland Farm. We’re hoping to attract a few jockeys…Jean Cruguet has agreed to come again…and perhaps some owners and trainers. No matter who comes, it’ll be a lot of fun with great food, a band, beer from Bluegrass Brewing Company and, of course, our stars.  Artist representative, attorney and Old Friends supporter, Elizabeth Bartolo and Louisville artist Dan Rhema are organizing an art show during Derby week in Louisville that will highlight works by some terrific artists…including some that are creating paintings and sculptures of our retirees. I’m particularly looking forward to a sculpture being created of Ruhlmann. If any artists would like to contribute to their work let us know.  

We’re working with Keeneland on the possibility of bringing an Old Friend or two to the race track on the morning of this year’s Bluegrass Stakes for their Breakfast at the Works demonstration on April 15. In June, Robbi Meisel is doing it again. The Horses Helping Horses Event at the Atlanta Horse Show is going to be bigger and better than ever. We’ll provide more details in next month’s update. In the meantime, Robbi is looking for a sponsor. They’ve already enlisted Outback Steakhouse who are providing 500 steak dinners. So, if you have any ideas e-mail Robbi at http://www.flashpointphotography.com/.  
  
Hammond Communications, with help from filmmaker Stu Pollard, has produced a terrific DVD with key races from most of our retirees. Everything from Taylor’s Special’s 1984 Bluegrass Stakes victory at Keeneland to Ruhlmann’s spectacular win in the 1989 Santa Anita Handicap. Harris Printers in Phoenix, headed by our great supporter Jim Ponte, continues to provide our printing needs for free.

None of this would be possible without the amazing skill and dedication of our executive director, Maya DeRosa. Her tireless efforts on behalf of our Champions makes my head spin. Ditto for Sylvia Buerkle.

Finally, if you have any questions about anything please don’t hesitate to call or write. Without you, Old Friends would not exist. Personally, I thank you all for letting me have the time of my life.

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NEWSLETTERS 2005

December 1, 2005

Last Friday, we buried Fraise. We endured this unfortunate honor through the heartfelt and generous support of his fans and our friends. Condolence notes, often accompanied by beautiful photographs of our Breeders' Cup Champion taken by visitors to Old Friends, let everyone know how much Fraise meant to all of us. Barbara Fossum and Katy Moore
sent beautiful flowers; Paige and Jared Richardson of Wallace Station supplied hot cider and coffee and Kim Witt of The Kentucky Cookie Company baked several batches. We even toasted Fraise with his own bottle of Woodford Reserve Bourbon. We watched his marvelous victories at Hollywood Park, Saratoga and, most impressively, in the 1993
Breeders' Cup Turf. We have some wonderful retirees with varied and complex personalities and spectacular resumes but none are as soft and friendly as was Fraise.  When Junko Yoshida, who rode him after he retired from breeding in Japan, came to visit him a few weeks before his death, he actually licked her face. While he'll always be
remembered in the Old Friends cemetery, nestled next to Estrapade, his legacy for us is even greater. Because Mrs. Madeleine Pickens chose to sponsor his return, along with Ogygian's, to the tune of $65,000, we were able to help Hurstland Farm build new paddocks for all of our retirees. We will be eternally grateful for her generosity. As will all
of our great champions.

But not all of our stallions were Grade One winners. Our newest retiree is Swan's Way, a 16-year-old donation from Bob and Kathy Manning of Suffolk Downs. He will never be confused with Sunshine Forever and Ogygian but the Mannings and I agree that no horse in history probably is more deserving than this Paul Mellon-bred son of Smile. He raced...on and off until he was 15. We thank them so much for thinking of us when it was finally time for Swan's Way to call it quits. He arrived on Monday morning, thanks to the generous support and teamwork of Chris Schultz and Sallee Vans...Chris brought him from Suffolk to Belmont and Salle brought him to Hurstland Farm. Both did it for free.

The Thoroughbred Charities of America Stallion Season Auction is currently going on. Last year, Victory Gallop made a donation to Old Friends through the TCA auction. This year, through the hard work of Maya DeRosa and Sylvia Buerkle, we have many more stallions helping our retirees. We will receive a complete list of all the contributers
when the auction is completed. Check it out at http://www.thoroughbredcharities.org/ or call 302 376-6289. TCA Executive Director, Liz Harris has assembled an impressive list of more than 250 stallions, including Smarty Jones, Mineshaft, Broken Vow, Skip Away, Broken Vow and others. The TCA is an umbrella group that supports all racing charities for horses, jockeys and backstretch workers.

The Daily Racing Form, thanks to Sarah Feldman, is about to run announcements for Old Friends in the Form. Remember, we are open seven days a week for free tours, even in the winter. We're working hard on raising money for two run-in sheds and some automatic waterers for our paddocks, now that the cold weather is upon us. Thanks again for all your help and encouragement, especially those that deliver free services and products directly to our horses...Jan Basson, our farrier; Robert Stepp of Triple Crown Legends and Southern States for their feed; Michele Blasi for the Performance
supplement; Glen Castle of Midway Leather for our halters and Dr. Jeff Pumphrey of Hagyard's for his great vet care. We get a lot of help from a lot of people but both Mary Tewhey, whose indefatigable research and beading skills are a daily source of encouragement, and Robbi and Greg Meisel, who not only take spectacular photographs but also raise money through Horses Helping Horses and have taken our gelding "Old Friends" into their farm so we could make room for more retirees.  We would be nowhere without the intelligent support and hospitality of Hurstland Farm owner Alfred Nuckols, Jr. and Farm Manager Tim Overton. It's really amazing what you all have done to make life better for all these horses and to grant me a job that is better than anything I could
have dreamed up.

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November 8, 2005

Fraise, the 1993 Breeders Cup Turf Champion, died early Sunday morning at Old Friends at Hurstland Farm in Midway, Kentucky. A preliminary necropsy performed at the University of Kentucky Diagnostic Lab indicates that the cause of death was from a hemoperitonium, a ruptured blood vessel in his abdomen. Fraise will be cremated and permanently interred, joining the great race mare, Estrapade, in the Old Friends at
Hurstland Farm cemetery.

"Fraise visited with several tour groups on Saturday and seemed to be fine," said Old Friends President Michael Blowen. "But Farm Manager Tim Overton called on Sunday morning at 8:15 to report Fraise's death. It's a very, very sad time. Fraise had just returned from Japan on August 16 and seemed to be really enjoying himself. He was the most beautiful retiree at Old Friends with kind eyes and a wonderfully inviting disposition."

The 17-year-old son of Strawberry Road won eight stakes races in 34 starts including the 1992 Sword Dancer, in track record time, and the 1993 Hollywood Turf Cup. He earned $2,613,105 in his four year career for owner Madeleine Paulson who won Fraise from her husband, Allen E. Paulson, by beating him in a golf match. Trained by Bill Mott, Fraise
was sold as a sire to Japan after his racing career was over in 1995 to a Japanese group run by Matt Doi. He stood at stud for eight seasons before being gelded and sent to the Olympic Riding School in Chiba, Japan. On July 20, Old Friends purchased Fraise from Koichiro Watanabe, the President of Olympic Club, for $10,000.

Madeleine (Paulson) Pickens donated $65,000 to Old Friends to pay all the costs incurred by both Fraise and Ogygian, the great son of Damascus, to be returned home.

"He was so loved that Junko Yoshida, the young woman who rode him in Japan, came back to visit him last month. He had that kind of irreplaceable effect on people. I'm just so sorry that he didn't have longer to cast his magical spell on more visitors. He had that kind of irreplaceable effect on people," said Blowen.

Old Friends at Hurstland Farm will have a tribute to Fraise on Nov. 25 at 11 a.m. at their Midway-based facility. Everyone is invited.

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November 1, 2005

Today is a big day at Old Friends at Hurstland Farm. November 1 marks the one year anniversary of the arrival of our first two stallion retirees...Creator and Sunshine Forever.

You should all give yourselves a pat on the back because without your support we wouldn't be where we are.

In one year, our retirees have become a major tourist attraction in the Bluegrass with an average of 350-400 vistors per week. They come to see 1992 Breeders Cup Turf Champion, Fraise, the gorgeous son of Strawberry Road, who came home from Japan on August 16 with the sensational Ogygian. Madeleine Pickens paid the full freight for both retirees to return. In September, Junko Yoshida, who rode Fraise at a riding academy in Japan, flew all the way from Tokyo to spend a few days at our home and visit her wonderful horse. She got a big kiss from Fraise for her efforts. Her visit symbolizes our new relationship with Japanese racing and breeding. Our gratitude goes out to Megumi Igarashi of Narvick-Japan for her invaluable help in locating, purchasing and making the travel arrangents for these great champions.

The tourists also love Fraise's sidekick, Popcorn Deelites, who played Seabiscuit.

We just got two more retirees. Fortunate Prospect, the Florida-based stallion, arrived last week from Farnsworth Farm. Thanks to Michael Sherman for donating this great stud and Kristi Jakeman, Bonnie's Poker's owner, for facilitating Prospect's retirement to Old Friends. He was joined by Knight's Booty (aka Cowboy), owned by Dr. Andy Clark and his wife, Kathleen Sullivan. This Champion eventer is as kind and friendly as they come.

Taylor's Special has gained more than 200 lbs. since arriving at Old Friends on May 29. He looks great. Sunshine Forever has learned a few new tricks and loves to show off for the tourists. Special Ring rules the roost in our field of geldings. The multiple Grade One winner doesn't suffer fools gladly. No wonder he was such a great competitor. He's tough.

Ruhlmann's disposition has changed completely. He lets me rub his face and nose and no longer tries to bite the visitors. And Creator? What can you say? He's the least known among the Americans but everyone seems to go away thinking he's the best looking horse they've ever seen. At the recent Keeneland sale I presented his former owner Sheik
Mohammed al Rashid al Maktoum with some retirement photos. He said he was pleased to receive them.

Maya continues to work tirelessly on behalf of our retirees. Whether it's the concentrated minutiae of preparing a grant application or giving a tour she and her son Justin are our MVP's. Thanks to Sylvia for all her help and to Alfred, Tim, Gene, Joanne, Jimmy, Castro and Robert for taking such great care of our great athletes.

I hope that someday you can all come to witness for yourselves the physical 
manifestation of your generosity. Every day I marvel at my good fortune to be able to see all these great champions frolic in the dawn's early light. Once again, thanks to everyone  who has made it possible for these remarkable athletes to retire with the dignity they
deserve.

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September 26, 2005

Thanks to all of you, Old Friends now has 15 residents at Hurstland Farm. And they all live in brand-new paddocks where they're visited by nearly 400 fans per week. From 9 a.m. until after 5 each day, those who love these great Thoroughbreds arrive on vans to hear the marvelous stories of their spectacular careers. Our two newest residents, 1992
Breeders Cup Turf Champion Fraise and the multiple Grade One winning son of Damascus, Ogygian, arrived from Japan on August 16. Madeleine Paulson paid all expenses for both horses to return to America. She campaigned Fraise but had nothing to do with Ogygian. But he was in trouble. While Fraise enjoyed a post-breeding career as a gelded riding horse, Ogygian wasn't so lucky. Megumi Igarishi, our marvelous contact
at Narvick International-Japan, described Ogygian's situation as grave. The Tartan Farm-bred winner of 7 of 10 lifetime starts lost his left eye in a "breeding accident." Claiborne Farm, after a request to participate in his return was made by Narvick's Emmanuel DeSeroux, refused to participate. So Madeleine paid for both.

We've also added the great California-based multiple Grade One winner, Special Ring, to our cast of stars. He came accompanied by a $10,000 check from his owner W. Jack Preston and is becoming a real fan favorite in Kentucky.

Two of our other new residents didn't make much of an impact on the track. We bought a gelding who broke down at Fairmount Park because his name is Old Friends and a son of Holy Bull, Kano Doble, because he desperately needed a home. Because of all our new residents needed more space, Alfred Nuckols, Jr. agreed to build nine new paddocks in a new field adjacent to the Old Friends Thoroughbred Memorial Cemetery. They were just completed and are now being painted. We also need to do some repairs on the barn before winter. So, if you were thinking of buying a share in any of our Old Friends either for yourself or as a gift, it'd really help if you did it sooner than later. We're very grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Kevin McLaughlin who donated $2000 to sponsor Sunshine
Forever's new stall. Ruhlmann's stall is sponsored by Jerry and Ann Moss and Madeleine takes care of everything Fraise needs...and then some.

One of our new Old Friends is Maya DeRosa, formerly a California-based city planner, and, now, the executive director for Old Friends. She's terrific and has moved to Midway with her young son, Justin. She's a genius at writing grants, an enthusiastic tour guide and,after just a few weeks, she's become absolutely indispensable. She worked very hard with Monica Driver of Equus Media and Cindy Grisolia, who we miss very much since she returned to Manhattan and her job at Entertainment Weekly, to re-create our revised website. Also, kudos to Sylvia, who works very hard trying to put lightning in a bottle. If you'd like a tour, please call Sylvia at 859 846-9094.

Taylor's Special looks very good. His coat is shiney and he's gained more than 150 lbs. since he's been here. Pat Day, who rode him to victory in the 1984 Bluegrass Stakes, says he'll be over to see him sometime deuring the Keeneland meet. The same goes for Randy Romero who is exercise riding for Dallas Stewart. We are also making room for a
stallion from New England named Swan's Way. He's 16 and really deserves a home. Any fans of Marcel Proust might want to sponsor him even though he spells his name with one "n."

Finally, I can't thank you enough for all you've done for Old Friends already. When I look around the farm it's a vision beyond my wildest dreams. It's just amazing what can happen when alot of people care enough to do what's right by these remarkable athletes.

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8/16/05 - 1992 Breeders Cup Turf Champion Fraise and the spectacular son of Damascus, Ogygian, arrived at Old Friends at Hurstland Farm this morning around 7 (EDT). Madeleine Paulson, who campaigned Fraise with trainer Bill Mott, paid for both of these great athletes to come home to America from Japan. While Arthur and Staci Hancock set the precedent
by returning Gato Del Sol to Stone Farm from Germany, this marks the first time in history that an owner has brought back horses from Japan to be retired. And Ogygian wasn't even hers. Madeleine will be reunited with her magnificent horse at the Old Friends Homecoming on August 27 at Hurstland Farm.

Fraise looks great. No wonder Madeleine loves him. He's got kind soft eyes and long, sleek back. And a disposition to match. Ogygian, who lost his left eye in a breeding accident, is small and compact. He needs a little work but he should shape up fine.

They join recent retires Popcorn Deelites, who was one of eight Seabiscuit horses in the movie, and Old Friends, who we purchased off the track at Fairmount Park. Later this week, the multiple Graded One winning Special Ring, the recently retired California crowd favorite,
will be moving over from Diamond P Farm. Thanks to Mr. Preston and Greg Partin for their faith in us as reliable caretakers.

Cindy Grisolia, who's in Saratoga this week helping with the TCA charity events (if you're up there please support this great event, was  an invaluable volunteer for a couple of months at Old Friends. She did everything from grooming to conducting tours and, frankly, she's
impossible to replace. We're hoping that she'll decide that being Senior Editor at Entertainment Weekly isn't as gratifying as feeding carrots to Taylor's Special and mints to Sunshine Forever.

Maya DeRosa, a former city planner in Santa Rosa, California, has joined Old Friends as our executive director. She's our first paid employee. She's already made her intelligent presence felt through her creativity and diligence. She's the perfect person to help us as we
grow.

Alfred Nuckols, Jr. is putting in new paddocks to accomodate our expanding roster. They should be ready for occupancy next week. We plan on moving Bonnie's Poker, Riva Way, Narrow Escape, Invigorate and Amherst Man down from the large field and into a field adjacent to the stallion paddocks. We're averaging about 400 tourists per week. They
love to see these great champions.

If you're in the area, plan to come to our party on August 27 from 4 p.m. until 11. It'll be fun and you'll get to see all of our retirees up close.

Also, we are syndicating all of our horses for $100. If you'd like to buy a share please e-mail us with your name and address and put the name of the horse you'd like to buy in the subject field follwed by the abbreviation...synd.

On a sad note - yesterday, Marguerite F. White, my mother-in-law died at 90. We spent many a fun Sunday afternoon at the Keeneland simulcast. She always liked the 5, the 7 and any horse with cat in its name. She was also instrumental in the success of Old Friends. Last October, when we finally arranged for Creator and Sunshine Forever to
return from Japan, we didn't have enough money. She solved that by co-signing a loan for us. No questions asked. She not only loved playing the horses she liked to play with them, too. She will be missed, By me, especially.

Thanks for your continued support.

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7/7/05 - Earlier this week, we purchased the great stallion Ogygian for 1.5 million yen. Through the marvelous intercession of Narvick International-Japan's Megumi Igarashi, we were able to move Ogygian to Mr. Origasa's farm where he'll reside until being shipped to Old Friends in early August...We're told he lost an eye in a breeding accident but,
otherwise, this great son of Damascus is in good shape. But Mr. Igarashi write the following P.S. to his memo..."He (Ogygian) is hanging the charm against evil from his bridle. It's violet and violet is holy color in Buddhism. Somebody gave it to him long time ago." Mr. Igarashi, a noble and honorable man, assures me that the violet charm will accompany Ogygian on his long journey to Old Friends....Earlier this week, Mr. David Hoffman contacted Cindy Grisolia of Old Friends and offered to sell us Popcorn Deelites, one of the horses that played Seabiscuit in the Gary Ross film, for a nominal price. Cindy put the deal together with help from Cathy Riccio, Joel Blasi and Popcorn's trainer, Priscilla Leon. Thanks to everyone, especially Cindy and Mr. Hoffman for letting us take care of such a star. He's only a few miles from the Kentucky Horse Park where Rich in Dallas, one of our former residents and another Seabiscuit horse, struts his stuff every day. And that's not all. Anita St. Clair (Sam) who has a great radio program on horse racing from 6-9 p.m. on Sirius satelite comntacted us earlier this week. She also handles the affairs of Preakness and Belmont winner, Afleet Alex. She read that we retired Taylor's Special and she's sending a box of mints from Alex to Taylor and the rest of our marvelous retirees. The Cash is King stable, owners of Alex, are also making a donation. The generosity of Jerry and Ann Moss, owners of our Ruhlmann, and Derby winner, Giacomo, made a sizeable contribution. In
fact, without their generosity it would have been very difficult to bring Ogygian home.But, with the support of all parties connected to the 2005 Triple Crown, we feel very, very lucky. Bill and Kristi Jakeman came to visit Bonnie's Poker last week. Bonnie wouldn't come over to the fence but she looked great and, once again, the Jakemans proved to be role models
for other owners. Bonnie is doing good because they did good. We are getting many visitors to Hurstland Farm. Both Alfred and Tim, the backbone  of Hurstland Farm, are bending over backwards to help us. Frank Gardner donated a truckload of posts for the new paddocks. Construction has been delayed by the drought but we have room for everyone.

Robbi Meisel of Flashpoint Photography spearheaded the first Horses Helping Horses benefit with help from Cindy Grisolia and the Classic Co. at the Grand Prix in Atlanta. It raised awareness and several thousand doallrs, so far. We'll be in Saratoga for the great
Thoroughbred Charities of America fundraiser...special thanks to Marion Altieri and Robin Malatino for all their help.

We will be syndicating Ogygian and Taylor's Special and Popcorn Deelites as Seabiscuit to help defray the costs of our burgeoning population. We are having a big party of August 27 at Hurstland Farm. I hope everyone can make it...It'll be a yard sale in the afternoon and a party at night with music, beer and visits with the horses. Details are being worked out but I
hope you can come. It's free for owners and a $20 donation for others. Just bring your certificates. Food, beer, soft drinks, etc. is included. We're even arranging for a trolley to pick friends of Old Friends up at various hotels and in Midway. We're also hoping to have a celebrity guest or two (besides the champions of course)...the human variety. Thanks, once
again, for all your help...You are all responsible for giving these great racehorses the retirement they earned...

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6/20/05 - Taylor's Special is really settling in...He's a big hit with the tourists because of his calm demeanor and big brown accepting eyes. Unlike our other three stallions _ Creator, Ruhlmann and Sunshine Forever that create tremors when they gallop, Taylor is very light on his feet...much like Fred Astaire. And he still holds the track record at Arlington Park for six furlongs..1:08. We're deeply grateful to Jenny Edwards of Hope for Horses and The Exceller Fund for the crucial roles they played in getting Taylor to Kentucky.

We can't go into detail right now but we're negotiating through Emmanuel de Seroux and Narvick International-Japan to bring another American champion back from Japan. It'll be costly but worth it. Fortunately, through the generosity of Robbi Meisel of Flashpont
Photography and Bob Bell of Classic Company, they raised several thousand dollars for Old Friends from silent auction items and entry fees. That money goes directly into the "Bring the Champion Home Fund." As soon as we have a deal set, we can release his name.
We're working with Monica and Marcelo at Equusmedia on revising the website. We hope to have it done by the end of August and plans are in the works to include selected races where our retirees are featured. These stars are really attracting tourists to Midway. They have many fans and we had nearly 200 visitors over the weekend. If you'd like to visit, call Sylvia at old Friends at Hurstland Farm (859) 846-9094.
Thanks again for all your support...Michael.

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6/16/05 - Taylor's Special, the 24-year-old multiple Grade One winner and 1984
victor in the Blue Grass Stakes and the Louisiana Derby, arrived at Old
Friends at Hurstland Farm yesterday. Through the cooperation of the
Washington-based Hope For Horses, headed by Jenny Edwards, and Old
Friends, the son of Hawkins Special is now permanently ensconsed at the
Midway retirement facility. And we're really glad to have him. Taylor
was a very successful horse for trainer Bill Mott and owner W.F. Lucas
from 1984-87. He accumulated more than $1 million in lifetime earnings
highlighted by a pair of victories in the Isaac Murphy at Arlington
Park in 1986 and 1987, and dominating wins in the Hot Springs Handicap
and the Count Fleet at Oaklawn, the Budweiser Breeders Cup at Louisiana
Downs, the Chancer Cup at Canterbury, the River City at Churchill
Downs, and the Black Gold Handicap at the Fair Grounds. He's already a
hit with visitors. Jockey Randy Romero, who rode Taylor to three wins,
is going to visit him with the next week or two.

If it wasn't for the support of all the contributors, this never would
have happened. And I thank all of you for supporting this idea from the
beginning. It has succeeded beyond our wildest dreams. Mr. and Mrs.
Jerome Moss, together with their wonderful racing manager, Dottie
Ingordo, have been very generous. The Thoroughbred Charities of America
gave us a $4000 grant. And the money is extremely important. But it's a
by-product of how beloved these horses are with the public. We average
four group tours per day. And we never get tired of telling the stories
of all our great retirees. All of you that own shares in Creator and
Sunshine Forever should make every effort to visit. You need to look
into the eys of these great champions to fully appreciate how much your
generosity means to them. We are expanding our paddocks within the next
month or two so we can accomodate even more retirees. Thanks to Alfred
Nuckols, Jr., Tim Overton and all the staff at Hurstland Farm we have
been welcomed into the family. We're working on a couple of other new
retirees and we'll keep you posted on our progress.

KET, the Kentucky PBS network, is coming today and there's a very
supportive article by Matt O'Neil in the summer Keeneland magazine.
There's some great pictures of Creator and Ruhlmann in particular.
There are some new pictures on the website so check them out.

We should have the DVDs done by the end of next week. If you own a
share in Creator or Sunshine Forever or Criminal Type and would like a
DVD...e-mail us with your address and we'll get it out ASAP. We will
have shares available in Taylor's Special beginning in July...Cindy
Grisolia and Robbie Meisel will be at the Atlanta Horse Show this
weekend in Conyers, Georgia. If you're in the area stop bt the Old
Friends table and say hello. Once again, thanks so much to everyone on
behalf of myself, Hurstland Farm and our retirees.

One more thing, we need your advice. Does the update come too often?
Too seldom? Would it be better if we wrote every two weeks or do what
we do now and just publish when we have news? Let us know...

Thanks again,

Michael.

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5/20/05 - On the first Thursday in May, Ruhlmann had some very special visitors. The small group spent over an hour visiting with the great black stallion commenting on how good he looked. Then, on Saturday, they won the Kentucky Derby with one of their "other" horses, Giacomo. Jerry and Ann Moss, along with their racing manager, Dottie Ingordo, took plenty of pictures and remarked on how well all the horses looked. We are honored that they trust us with their great stakes winner. On Derby Eve, through the generosity of B and B Morgan Tire, Old Friends was the beneficiary of their Harlan County Poor Man's Derby Party at Applebee's Park in Lexington. We raised nearly $5000 (if everyone pays). The silent auction items that generated the bulk of our income was a trip to Barbados donated by Deirdre Byrne of turftours.com and two tickets to Emeril Live donated by Frank and Pam Gardner.

All the horses look great, especially Bonnie's Poker. She's back galloping with the herd. Her coat is shiney and her eyes glisten with what can only be described as quiet, assured intelligence. Sunshine Forever had a brief bout with a gastric disturbance last week but quick acting by the Hurstland staff and Dr. Jeff Pumphrey cured it quickly with a good flush of mineral oil. He now looks better than ever and has gone from the easiest one to handle to his old self. Tough as nails. Creator was the star of a very nice tv piece produced by Connie Leonard of WAVE-TV in Louisville. Steve Collier of WLEX-TV in Lexington covered our Tribute to Estrapade and we thank Bucky Sallee, the Keeneland bugler, for her last call to post. Thanks, of course, to Michael Paulson who allowed us to bury herat Hurstland and for his generous donation.

Cindy Grisolia, senior editor at Entertainment Weekly, is on an extended vacation and is volunteering with Old Friends. She is invaluable. She works with the horses, writes beautifully and conducts tours. Yesterday, she joined Sarah DiPonio and her mother, Alberta, and I for a visit to Penny Chenery's. Penny was great. She's smart and witty and she returned the baseball glove I loaned her when she threw out the first pitch at a recent Lexington Legends game. She also autographed the ball for us.

We're working hard on two new horses. As soon as we get them to Old Friends at we'll issue a bulletin. Last week we received a $1 donation with an apologetic note expressing regrets that it couldn't be more. I sent this wonderful person pictures of our horses and a note explaining that $1 was enough to buy about a dozen carrots. These are the kind of marvelous people that make Old Friends what it is. Thanks to Maya and Mary and all of the people who do most of the work. We're working on building new paddocks and fixing the barn. On Memorial Day weekend, Old Friendssupporter Jim Bradford and his friends have invited Diane and I to raise money for Old Friends at the Indy 500. Can't wait. It's funny that our first track fundraiser comes at an auto track not a horse one. We're hoping to raise enough to get several paddock sponsorships so our new retirees will have all the comforts they so richly deserve. Thank you everyone for everything you've done for these great athletes.

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4/11/05 - Sunshine Forever, Creator, Ruhlmann, Bonnie's Poker, Riva Way and therest of our retirees look great. Yesterday, in a display of rare enthusiasm, Bonnie galloped. All the rain has made the grass flourish and nourished the spirit of humans and horses.

We haven't yet gotten over the tragic losses of both Estrapade and Criminal Type. We would like to thank Michael Paulson for the donation of Estrapade's silks along with a generous financial contribution. Arlington Park has sent us the complete coverage of Estrapade's
spectacular victory in the 1986 Arlington Million. Her granite
gravestone hasw arrived and we've marked out a horse cemetery at
Hurstland Farm, thanks to Alfred Nuckols, Jr.'s sympathetic spirit. On
Monday, April 25 at 1 p.m., we will have a memorial service for
Estrapade. Everyone is invited.

For anyone in the Louisville-Lexington area, PEB (Pierre Bellocq) is
appearing tomorrow night (Tuesday) at the Midway Thoroughbred Theater
in a benefit for Old Friends. This spectacular artist will be signing
prints featuring Ferdinand, Criminal Type, Estrapade, Sunshine Forever
and Ruhlmann. Many of his original works will be on dispaly as well.
The event begins with a wine tasting at Bacchus Fine Wines and Spirits
in Midway at 5:30 and moves to the theater at 7:30 for a celebration
of PEB and his work.

Our next big project is to build three new run-in sheds and repair the
tobacco barn at Hurstland. If we can accomplish these goals, we can
double our population. Emmanuel de Seroux is heading to Japan later
this spring and will provide us with an update on which horses might
be available for a return trip to Old Friends within the next few
months.

The Poor Man's Kentucky Derby Party, on Derby Eve at 6 p.m. at
Applebee's park in Lexington, has designated Old Friends as one of
their beneficiaries. We hope that many of our friends can join us on
May 6 beginning at 6 p.m. for all the festivities. The Platters are
scheduled to perform and we're working on showing races from all of
our horse's careers on the centerfield scoreboard. They'll show
everyone how great athletes perform.

I hope that everyone can visit us during the next few months. It's
truly impressive to see how your generosity has transformed these great
performers. Every dapple, every renewed muscle, each roll in the dirt,
represents each and every one of you. And, personally, there's no way I
can thank you enough for the supreme pleasure of watching Ruhlmann and
Sunshine Forever, in particular, race each other along their adjoining
paddock fences. Running for pure joy.

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3/16/05 - Criminal Type has passed away. I received the following e-mail from
Emmanuel de Seroux this morning. It was sent by Mr. Megumi Igarashi of
Narvick International-Japan. "Emmanuel, Today I was informed that
Criminal Type died in the noon of March 9th from Mr. Otsuka. Criminal
Type had been laying down in his stall in the morning and Mr. Otsuka
called the specialists from the clinic to perform a medical treatment
for him, however, he could not survive due to his old age. I contacted
the vet and he said the gastric rupture (because of gastric perforation)
was the cause of his death. We are sorry for this. Mr. Otsuka said that
Criminal Type's end was a peaceful death." We were anticipating a very
successful journey from Japan to Old Friends in just a few months. It
was to be a celebration of the generosity of the Thoroughbred Club of
Japan and a re-uniting of Criminal Type with his great rival, Ruhlmann
at Hurstland Farm. We get involved with these great champions during
their later years and death is often peering over the withers. We will
install a memorial for him at Hurstland. He was, after all, already
donated to us. I would also like to thank Emmanuel and Mr. Igarashi and
Mr. Otsuka for all their work on our behalf. Without these honorable
people, we would not have the joy of Creator and Sunshine Forever. They
are also working diligently on behalf of Old Friends in getting more of
these champions retired to the United States. We should re-double our
efforts to have Criminal Type take his deserving place in the Racing
Hall of Fame at Saratoga Springs. He certainly deserves it. None of this
lightens the bone-chilling sadness of the moment. Every morning, as I
pass Estrapade's grave, I'm reminded that all of our cherished retirees
will end up with her. It makes me want to work harder to make sure that
we can give a better retirement to more retirees. We have all lost a
great champion. And it's hard to imagine ever replacing him.

Michael.

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3/10/05

The cold winter is slowly lifting and our retirees are spending more and more time in their fields and paddocks. Yesterday marked John Henry's 30th birthday at the Kentucky Horse Park. As most of you know, we have used the Kentucky Horse Park's treatment of John and Cigar and Da Hoss as our role model. John Nicholson, the Park's executive director, is very supportive of our efforts. He, along with Chris and Judy McCarron will be visiting us in the coming weeks. John Veitch, Sunshine Forever's trainer, paid a visit a few weeks ago. And, Candy Chavez and Linda Madsen came by yesterday. Midway Thoroughbred Tours is going to run trollies back and forth between Old Friends and the KY Horse Park beginning at the end of this month. That'll be a great help.

Now, for the really important stuff. The horses.
Invigorate and Amherst Man, my two old friends, continue to flourish during their post-racing lives. Invigorate has buddied up with our first Old Friend, Narrow Escape, and they are inseparable. Sometimes love comes later in life to a 15-year-old gelding and a 22-year-old mare. There's hope for everyone.

Bonnie's Poker is doing better than ever. While she's still her own mare, she's become a bit more social. On Monday, I saw her gallop out with the herd for the first time since her arrival. It wasn't the effort she gave when winning three races in ten days at Aqueduct but in speed for age she did very well. Lisa and Katie, physical therapists from Midway College, work on her back every week. They also take care of Riva Way, one of our newest, and most popular retirees. Through the efforts of several fans and members of The Exceller Fund, Riva Way is doing great in his retirement. He's very pretty...sort of like a second grader's drawing of his grandsire, Secretariat. He won three races in August, 2003 at Monmouth Park and, thanks to the administration, we now have a tape of his victories. Penny Chenery is going to visit him as soon as the weather gets a bit better.

Now, for your horses. Creator remains the most vigorous of all our retirees. This handsome son of Mill Reef is the biggest hit with all the tourists because he's full of energy and he talks. It's amazing what a few well-placed carrots and apples can do. Ruhlmann is a real black beauty. Apparently, during his spectacular racing career, he was a handful. Not anymore. He's still full of himself and energetic but he's non-threatening. His coat glistens and, with his neck bowed and tail up, he looks as if he could still win a graded stakes. Again, our thanks to David Ingordo and Jerry Moss for entrusting us with this fabulous star. Sunshine Forever is class personified. Not eager to please, he'll be friendly if it suits him. If not, he allows us to appreciate him from afar. I adore him.

Criminal Type is in the pipeline to arrive later this spring...as soon as the Japanese breeding season is finished. Thanks to Emmanuel de Seroux for his continuing efforts on our behalf.

Michael Paulson donated Estrapade to us. Unfortunately, she died the day she was supposed to arrive from Hill 'n' Dale. Unfortunately, she became the first resident of the Old Friends cemetery. We buried her within two hours of her arrival with as much grace and dignity as we could muster. We purchased a granite marker, just like the ones for Forego and Bold Forbes at the Horse Park, and John Cox of Thoro-Graphics, created a beautiful wooden sign. We will have a memorial service for her in early April. Thanks, once again to Alfred and Tim Overton and Steve Johnson at Margaux Farm (he provided the backhoe at a moment's notice) and Tim Klarer for their knowledgable assistance.

We are working on the video of our horses and that should be completed by the end of April. Frank Stronach, through the auspices of Jack Brothers, is, once again, allowing us to air a free commercial about Old Friends on ESPN prior to the Preakness Stakes. We've received support from Kentucky Secretary of State Jim Host and his staff concerning available grants.

I hope you can all visit soon. We'll be having a big party on May 5, 2005 and it should be alot of fun. There's nothing we like better than sharing our great athletes.

Michael

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2/15/05

I put off doing the latest update until today because I fully expected a
huge celebration. Unfortunately, unpredicatability and tragedy
intervened. Michael Paulson, owner of Estrapade, and Old Friends had
reached a terrific agreement to allow Estrapade, one of the truly great
race mares in history, to be retired to our facility at Hurstland Farm.
She's the only mare to win the Arlington Million and she would have
joined Sunshine Forever as our other Eclipse Award winner.
Unfortunately, as her great caretakers at Hill 'n' Dale Farm were
leading her to the barn, the 25-year-old who already suffered from
Cushing's Disease, was struck by a fatal heart attack. But, true to
their word, John Sikura and Michael Paulson delivered her body to us at
about noontime and, thanks to the generous contribution of many friends
she was laid to rest at 2:11 p.m. Her entire body was buried near a
cedar tree at Hurstland. We have commissioned a sign, similar to those
for Forego and other deceased champions at the Kentucky Horse Park, that
will help keep her accomplishments alive forever. We are acquiring video
of her career and will show that on a daily basis to her many fans that
visit us. Unfortunately, when you're dealing with Thoroughbred
retirement, these marvelous athletes are on the backside of their lives.
It doesn't make it any easier to bury them but we did do it with as much
dignity and class as we could muster. Tim Overton, Alfred Nuckols, Jr.,
Tim Klarer and Margaux Farm's Steve Johnson rallied around so no time
was wasted between her death and burial. Within the next few days, we'll
set a time and date for a suitable memorial at the Old Friends at
Hurstland Farm Cemetery. Next week's update, with more positive
information about our other retirees, will contain details. Thank you
for your kindness and support. Michael.

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1/19/05
Thank you so much for your generosity, support and patience. Every
owner of Criminal Type, Creator and Sunshine Forever should have their
certificates and photographs by the end of next week. If you do not,
please e-mail me immediately. One of the disadvantages of having no
administrative costs is that we have no administrator. That's about to
change. I'm very sorry that these weren't done by Christmas.

We received a wonderful gesture on behalf of the family of Mary
Sheppard, Jonathan Sheppard's ex-wife. Unfortunately, she died very
young -at 47. The family decided that contributions should be made to
Old Friends in her memory. We are eternally grateful for their
thoughtfulness and we will place a special memorial at our facility in
Mary's memory.

All the horses are doing great. Ruhlmann has settled into his paddock
between Creator and Sunshine Forever and Narrow Escape, our first
retiree, has moved to Hurstland as well. We also have Riva Way, a
grandson of Secretariat out of Tinner's Way and a Riva Ridge mare. He
arrived last week and is settling in quite nicely. Southern States is
providing free feed. True Value is considering coming up with a line of
Old Friends paints named after our retirees..Sunshine Forever Yellow,
etc....We are applying for a grant to re-build the barn and add more
paddocks here at Hurstland Farm. Alfred Nuckols, Jr. and Tim Overton
are just perfect partners. They are bending over backwards to make sure
we have a first rate facility with even more room for more retirees.
It's so amazing to see Ruhlmann and Sunshine Forever race each other
along the paddock fence each morning...No betting, no saddles, no
riders...just pure, unadulterated joy. No matter what the Lewises say,
there are situations where every offer should be refused. And this is
the case with us. The pleasure of these privileged moments is truly
priceless.

Michael Blowen

 

 

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE - 2004