Old Friends

01/09/2024

Litigate is your Old Friend of the Day.

L. Battles photo.

01/08/2024

Sean Avery is your Old Friend of the Day.

L. Battles photo.

01/08/2024

Weekly Ebay listings this week!

Offered are a horsehair locket of Rocetry, a unique Raku pottery of the late War Emblem and a pasture worn halter of Brilliant Decision. Also offered are books on Man O' War and Damascus, Old Friends magazine signed by Jean Cruguet, Secretariat, Santa Anita glasses, West Point jockey silks and more!

To view all and bid in support of our retirees, please click here and thank you!

https://www.ebay.com/str/oldfriendsfarmgiftshop

01/07/2024

Marshall Rooster (GB), age 25, is your Old Friend of the Day.

L. Battles photo.

01/06/2024

Gratitude to all of our friends who donated to our 2023 Giving Tree. Our retirees received 185 bags/feed, 77 round hay bales, 11 blankets, 38 halters, 14 days of Christmas Dinner, 45 dental visits, 99 bags of carrots (50 lb. each), plus 4 retirees fed for a year! Thank You!

01/06/2024

MissZoey Belle is your Old Friend of the Day.

L. Battles photo.

01/05/2024

Michael Blowen has spent the past 20 years growing Old Friends Farm from an idea to a popular Kentucky tourist destination, growing it to become larger than he ever could have imagined.

01/05/2024

https://www.news-graphic.com/news/blowen-retires-from-old-friends-nicholson-tapped-as-successor/article_9e16f794-ab50-11ee-b50e-9370e5d2eed5.html

Michael Blowen, 76, founder of Old Friends thoroughbred retirement farm announced Wednesday Jan. 3 that he will be stepping down as president of Old Friends.

01/05/2024

Paddy O Prodigy is your Old Friend of the Day.

L. Battles photo.

01/05/2024

The founder of Old Friends, a retirement home for thoroughbreds, is stepping down, but he says he will remain in the saddle.

01/04/2024

"I get a lot of credit for creating this place, but it really created me.”

From Lex 18. Photo by Bruce Schreiner

01/04/2024

Milwaukee Brew is your Old Friend of the Day.

L. Battles photo.

01/04/2024

Hello everyone. Rick Capone here with the 91st installment of our Old Friends’ Throwback Thursday Memories. This week we remember a really good race horse with the sweetest, most kind disposition, Proper Reality.

Bred and owned by Mrs. James A Winn, Proper Reality, who was by In Reality--Proper Princess, by Nodouble, was foaled in Florida on Feb. 9, 1985.

While he raced at a time when Equibase did not have any race charts, in reading some articles I did learn he was trained his entire racing career by Robert (Bob) E. Holthus, owned his entire life by Winn, and was ridden by jockey Jerry Bailey in 18 of his 19 races.

Proper Reality’s racing career started in 1987 as a 2-year old, and it began with a three-race win streak that stretched over two years.

He won his very first start that year in a maiden special weight race at Louisiana Downs on Oct. 10. It was his only race that year.

He continued his winning streak as a 3-year old in 1988 with two wins at Oaklawn Park. The first was in an allowance race on Feb. 19, and the second was in the Southeast Stakes on March 5 for his first stakes victory.

Following a fourth in his next start, the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on April 2, he turned right around and won the Arkansas Derby (G1) on April 23 for his first graded-stakes victory, and a Grade 1 at that.

In an article on the oklahoman.com website about the race, Jerry Shottenkirk wrote: “Proper Reality saved ground for seven furlongs of the 1 1-8th-mile test, but was behind a wall of horses at the top of the stretch. In midstretch, (his jockey) Jerry Bailey and Proper Reality swerved inside toward the rail, and just plain outfinished the field. … Proper Reality covered the course in 1:48 2-5.”

Shottenkirk added that, “It (the Arkansas Derby win) was a popular win for the hometown horse. His only loss was in the Rebel Stakes here on April 2, and he had an excuse for it. He had a troubled trip, but the route he took Saturday wasn't much better.

In a Chicago Tribune article by Neil Milbert, he quoted Holthus as saying, “Proper Reality is a pro. … In the Arkansas Derby, he had to alter his course two or three times in the stretch, and he still was a good enough athlete to get through.”

With that win, Proper Reality stamped his ticket into the starting gate for the 114th running of the Kentucky Derby, which was his next start.

In the Derby, Proper Reality ran a good race, but in the end finished fourth. Winning the Derby that year was Winning Colors, who would go on to win the Eclipse Award as Champion 3-Year Old Filly. Also in the race and finishing seventh was Seeking the Gold. According to the Kentucky Derby chart, “Proper Reality moved into contention along the inside nearing the backstretch, moved closest to Winning Colors while continuing to save ground on the far turn, remained a factor to mid-stretch, but lacked the needed late response.”

Interesting side note: Check out two other Eclipse Award winners with ties to Old Friends that year: Sunshine Forever, champion male grass horse; and Gulch, champion sprinter.

Proper Reality bounced back strong after the Derby, and won his next four starts in a row, over a two-year period.

It began with a win in the Thomas D. Nash Memorial Handicap at Sportsman's Park on May 21, then he followed that with a win in the Illinois Derby (G2) at Sportsman's Park on June 4, his last race of the year.

Prior to the Illinois Derby, the Chicago Tribune’s Milbert quoted Holthus, the 53-year-old Arkansan who had trained 23 stakes winners by that time, as saying, “He (Proper Reality) has a better future than any horse I`ve ever had. I saddled my first winner in 1952, and this is the most talented horse I`ve had.

'He came to me at the farm in Hot Springs right after he was weaned. I broke him along with 25 yearlings. When we breezed him, we realized he was quite a bit different than the others.”

For the year, Proper Reality had five wins in seven starts and $745,000 in earnings.

The beautiful dark bay c**t began his 4-year old campaign in 1989 with four races at Oaklawn Park. To start, he continued his winning streak with a win in the Hot Springs Stakes on Feb. 11, and followed that with a win in the Essex Handicap (G3) on March 4.

In his next start he finished third in the Razorback Handicap (G2) on March 25, and followed that with a fifth in the Oaklawn Handicap (G1) on April 15.

He then went to Pimlico where he finished second in the Pimlico Special Handicap on May 13.

He then travelled north to Belmont Park where he won the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park on May 29. In a BloodHorse.com article about that race, jockey “Jerry Bailey, who rode Proper Reality in all but one of his 19 starts, said that he was the horse that showed him he could ride in the major leagues when they teamed up to beat Angel Cordero Jr. on Dancing Spree and Pat Day on Seeking the Gold in the 1989 Metropolitan Handicap. ‘I cannot say he was the best horse in the country in 1989,’ wrote Bailey in his autobiography, Against the Odds, but ‘I am sure he fought harder than anyone else.’”

In his next start, Proper Reality finished second in the Budweiser-Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (G2) at Hawthorne Race Course on June 24, then finished second in the Michigan Mile and One-Eighth Handicap (G2) at Detroit on July 15.

He bounced back strong in his next start and won the Philip H. Iselin Handicap (G1) at Monmouth Park on Aug. 26. It would be the final win of his career.

Following that win he raced two more times, both at Belmont Park, and finished fourth in the Woodward Handicap (G1) on Sept. 16, and fifth in the Vosburgh Stakes (G1) on Oct. 8, which was his final race of the year.

Proper Reality wrapped up 1989 with four wins, three seconds, one third, and $950,830 in earnings in 11 starts.

The Vosburgh also turned out to be the final race of his career. In all, he retired with a record of 10 wins, three seconds, one third, and $1,701,650 in earnings in 19 starts. Of those 10 wins, eight were graded stakes, four of them Grade 1 wins, while three others were stakes-placed.

Upon his retirement, Proper Reality went to live at Holthus’, his trainer’s, Kilkerry Farm in Royal, Ark. Then, in 2009, Holthus donated Proper Reality to Old Friends.

What I remember most about Proper Reality was that he was, unquestionably, a beautiful horse, a dark bay, ever alert, and very friendly. He always came to the fence to say hello, and he truly loved his carrots. And, oh wow, did he know how to pose for a photo. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to know Proper Reality very well, but what I do remember always brings a smile to my face.

Sadly, the sweet horse’s time at Old Friends was way too short, as he died less than a year after he arrived. He was euthanized on Feb. 19, 2010 at Hagyard’s Equine Medical in Lexington. He was 25.

In an Old Friends newsletter from founder Michael Blowen after he died, Michael wrote:

“The sun'll come out tomorrow (we hope)... The recent passing of Proper Reality cast an unfortunate pall over the farm because he was one of the kindest, sweetest residents we've ever had the pleasure of being around. The necropsy came back and Proper died of colon injuries suffered by several twists. After it was decided that surgery was not a viable option, they led Proper Reality out to a fluffy patch of snow under a grove of pine trees. His memory lives every day with us.

And, in a BloodHorse article, Blowen added, “He will be really missed. He was in a front paddock and was always first to greet our visitors.”

01/03/2024

Please note, our Ebay auction will resume next Sunday.

01/03/2024

01/03/2024

Help needed!

Old Friends is in need of donations of 4 inch size 3M™ Vetwrap™ for our retirees.

We recommend ordering online from Midwest Vet. Thank you kindly for your support. We appreciate it!

L. Battles photo.

01/03/2024

Michael Stepping Down as President; John Nicholson Named President and CEO.

Starting off 2024 with big news. 20 years after founding Old Friends, Michael is stepping down as President. “OF needs a really good CEO that has managed a much bigger facility than we have, and the only way that we can improve is to get more space for more horses, which means more money, more donations, and an executive CEO that knows how to handle big business. As I was looking for someone to step into the position, something that was a big concern for me was to find somebody who had the same attitude towards the horses that I did. I always worried about that. Well, now, with John coming on board, I'm not worried about it at all. I feel like, instead of being an old has been, I feel that a big weight has been lifted off of my shoulders.”

For entire details, please follow the full press release here and thank you.

https://conta.cc/3veCebO

01/03/2024

Cost Affective, in the lead, is your Old Friend of the Day.

L. Battles photo.

01/02/2024

Miss Hooligan is your Old Friend of the Day.

L. Battles photo.

01/01/2024

Fabulous Strike is your first Old Friend of 2024!

L. Battles photo.

12/31/2023

Next Shares is your Old Friend of the Day!

L. Battles photo.

12/31/2023

Join us on Instagram in 2024. St. Aloysius is our Horse of the Week at

Thank you!

L. Battles photo.

12/30/2023

Ide and Gorgeous George are your Old Friends of the Day.

L. Battles photo.

12/30/2023

Hi Everyone! GREEN MASK here. Wishing a very Happy New Year to all my friends & fans, & reminding you it’s not too late to get me something from the Old Friends Giving Tree. You could get me senior feed, a big round bale of hay, carrots, or you could feed me for a whole year! Just don’t get me the dental visit. (I really want the carrots!). You can go to our website (I’m not sure what that is) and find the tree. Thank you everyone, from a very grateful horse. BTW Laura Battles took my picture. I’m so pretty! https://oldfriendsequine.org/givingtree/

12/29/2023

Intidab is your Old Friend of the Day.

L. Battles photo.

12/28/2023

Check out this feature courtesy Mary Eddy on Old Friends, Channel Maker and Red Knight.

https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/news/best-of-2023-channel-maker-and-red-knight?fbclid=IwAR20sKPmAV3aLf13yDsuJPp2pjWWNlqo4mAe0XIWQYM01TgBh2IMVEMfxn8

12/28/2023

12/28/2023

Racketeer is your Old Friend of the Day.

L. Battles photo.

12/28/2023

Hello everyone. Rick Capone here with the 90th installment of our Old Friends’ Throwback Thursday Memories. This week we remember Star Plus (Arg.), a horse born and raced in Argentina before coming to the United States to race, and who had a hard time realizing his retirement.

However, thanks to his owner, Earle Mack, once he arrived at Old Friends for his retirement, he not only seemed to love it, but he made the most of it, endearing himself to everyone on the farm, as well as visitors who stopped by on tours.

Bred by Claudio Javier Valle and Marc Valle, Star Plus, who was by Alpha Plus--Nannar (Arg.), by Big Play, was foaled in Argentina on July 18, 2003.

Note: Star Plus raced at a time when Equibase did not post its race charts, so I was not able to find a lot of things such as early trainers and owners.

Star Plus began his racing career in 2006 as a 3-year old in Argentina, and got his first win in his first start in a maiden race at San Isidro on July 2. Then, following a 12th in his next start, the Miguel Cane (G2) at Hipodromo Argentino De Palermo on Aug. 18, he got his next win at that same track in what is called in Argentina, a “Winner” race on Sept. 24.

The beautiful bay stallion with the large star on his forehead raced two more times that year and finished fifth in the Palermo at Hipodromo Argentino De Palermo on Nov. 11, and fourth in the Joaquin S. de Anchorena (G1) at San Isidro on Dec. 16.

In all, he had two wins, three seconds, and $26,770 in earnings in eight starts in 2006.

In 2007 as a 4-year old, while still racing in Argentina, Star Plus started the year off with three second-place finishes. The first one came at San Isidro in the America (G2) on March 25. The next two came at the Hipodromo Argentino De Palermo; the first in the Benito Villanueva (G2) on April 29, and the second in the De Las Americas-OSAF (G1) on May 1.

In his next race, he finished third in the 9 de Julio (G2) at San Isidro on July 7, then bounced back and won a Winner at Hipodromo Argentino De Palermo on July 30.

He followed that with three more second-place finishes in a row. The first was at Hipodromo Argentino De Palermo in the General San Martin (G1) on Aug. 20, while the next two were at San Isidro. The first came in the Ecuador (G2) on Sept. 9, and the second came in the San Isidro (G1) on Oct. 7

In his next race, Star Plus scored his biggest career win when he captured the Joaquin S. de Anchorena (G1) at San Isidro on Dec. 15. Interestingly, he beat future Old Friends’ retiree Jade Hunter in the race.

That win would be not only his last race of the year, but his last race in Argentina. He finished the year with two wins, three seconds, one third, and $54,636 in earnings in six starts

To start his 5-year old season in 2008, Star Plus was purchased by Earle Mack and moved to the United States where he raced for Mack from 2008-2010 and was first trained by Ken McPeek.

In his first start for them, he finished fifth in allowance optional claiming race at Churchill Downs on July 3. Then in his next race he finished fourth in the Duke of Magenta Stakes (Listed) at Saratoga on Aug. 9, and then had a second-place finish in the Turfway Park Fall Championship Stakes (G3) at Turfway Park on Sept. 6.

Next up, Star Plus won an allowance race at Keeneland on Oct. 12, and then finished out his race year with a fourth in the River City Handicap (G3) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 22.

He finished 2008 with one win, one second, and $59,505 in earnings in five starts

In 2009 as a 6-year old, Star Plus did not race at all. He came back in 2010 as a 7-year old now under the care of Angel Penna Jr, who trained him for Mack.

All three of his races that year were at Gulfstream Park. In his first start, he finished second in an allowance optional claiming on Jan. 27, then followed that with a seventh in the Canadian Turf Stakes (G3) on Feb. 20. He bounced back in his next race and won an allowance optional claiming race on March 28 under a hand ride by jockey Rajiv Maragh. However, he came out of that race with a severe ankle injury and was retired.

For the year he had one win, one second, and $33,210 in earnings in three starts, and with his retirement, his career record was six wins, eight seconds, one third, and $176,503 in earnings in 26 starts.

According to his obituary on the Old Friends website, it was at this point that Star Plus’ life got, shall we say, interesting. The obit read:

“With his final race in the books, Mack’s plan was to retire Star Plus so he could enjoy the rest of his life. However, the horse’s road to retirement was a long and hard fought one to achieve.

“It began when Mack was advised that there was some interest in Star Plus by a small breeding farm, and he agreed to let them have him. However, he made one major stipulation, which he put in writing in the contract that stated Star Plus was never to be raced again. And, if they no longer wanted the horse, Mack should immediately be notified so that a suitable retirement home could be found for him.

“However, in 2011, Mack discovered that his horse’s new owner/trainer, George Iacovacci, Sr., had put Star Plus back in training and planned to race him. And, so began Mack's quest to get his former horse back before he got hurt, or worse, while racing once again.

“In all, Star Plus raced four times for Iacovacci at three different tracks, Mt. Pleasant, Mountaineer, and Parx Racing, and finished last in all four races.

“In the meantime, every time Mack saw that Star Plus was going to race, he contacted horse racing officials in those states and tracks to let them know of the horse’s medical condition and requested that the horse not be allowed to race. In addition, with the help of a number of people, including Maggie Moss, a well-known attorney and respected thoroughbred owner, letters were also sent to officials saying the same thing and requesting that the horse not be allowed to race. However, all three tracks denied the requests.

“Finally, Mack took matters into his own hands, and after the horse’s fourth race, an allowance optional claiming race at Parx Racing on Jan. 28, 2012, negotiations were held, and with the help of some others, Mack purchased Star Plus back.

“Then, with his horse safely back under his ownership, Mack made arrangements with Michael, and donated his horse to Old Friends to enjoy his long-awaited, well-earned retirement. Star Plus arrived at the farm on July 1, 2012, along with a generous donation by Mack to Old Friends to ensure the care of his horse.”

In the Old Friends blog, longtime volunteer Beth Tashery Shannon talked a little about Star Plus’ personality. In part, she wrote:

“It wasn’t just his strong, handsome looks, or that supernova of a star (plus some) on his face. It was his irrepressible energy and joy in life, and his nonstop mischievous friendliness. If a horse ever had a sense of humor (and some definitely do), Star Plus did. He kept that sense of play and total confidence throughout his life.

“In his first role as a meeter and greeter of tours, Star Plus gave us a chance to familiarize visitors with the story of this willing athlete who’d given his best and the owner who’d overcome difficulties to do the right thing for the horse. We’ve had others since with similar stories, and awareness of such situations can help other horses. The memorable personality of Star Plus made him perfect for the role, but he didn’t stop at that. To him, tours were invented specially so that he could get treats, show off, and have fun. Even with champions on the tour, it was Star Plus who many fell in love with, and no wonder. Michael wasn’t immune to his charm either. Star Plus was one of his favorites.”

Personally, I remember two things about Star Plus during his retirement at Old Friends. The first was that, like many of the other horses on the farm, he was very photogenic. It was almost impossible to take a bad photo of him. And, he always came to the fence for some carrots.

The other memory was the day he snuck up on me and showed his “mischievous friendliness” side. I was walking down the hill next to his paddock … obviously, too close to his paddock … talking to Michael one afternoon. I heard the pounding of hooves, but didn’t think anything of it.

All of a sudden, “bam” he bit me on the shoulder. “Ouch!,” I yelped in surprise. I turned around and there he stood just looking at me with his head tilted a little. I rubbed my shoulder, but I couldn’t be mad at him because he stood there with such a cute expression, and as proud as could be that he “got me.”

Star Plus enjoyed 11 years of retirement at Old Friends, but on Jan. 28, 2023, he died due after suffering a paddock accident. He was 20-years old.

Upon his death, Michael said, “Star Plus was so much fun. We ran together (he always won, of course) and he seemed overjoyed with himself. Smart. Whimsical. Carefree. In short, a great role model.”

And, in the Old Friends blog, Beth wrote: “We hoped … we would have the pleasure of having Star Plus in our lives for many years to come. His passing was an unexpected shock. His going has torn a hole in our hearts. A hole as big and deep as his big presence. All of us, staff, volunteers, and friends, will always remember him with love.”