In this post, I will continue to share photos from my April trip to Kentucky. Click here to read my previous Kentucky posts. Today I will share photos I took at Old Friends in Georgetown.
Old Friends is a thoroughbred retirement farm, founded in 2003 by a man named Michael Blowen, a retired film critic for the Boston Globe. Michael was inspired to create a responsible aftercare facility for stallions after learning of the slaughter of beloved racehorse Exceller and Ferdinand after they were deemed no longer useful as stallions. This same sign is hanging on the barn at Old Friends at Cabin Creek, the satellite farm in Greenfield, NY where I volunteer.
Many horses are buried at Old Friends, both those who called the farm home, and others, such as multiple graded stakes winner Medina Spirit.
Bellamy Road, who won the 2005 Grade I Wood Memorial Stakes en route to the Kentucky Derby, where he finished seventh.
Birdstone, who spoiled Smarty Jones’ Triple Crown bid by winning the Belmont Stakes in 2004. He also won the Travers.
Multiple Grade I winner Special Ring.
Special Ring’s best friend, multiple graded stakes winner Sun King.
Michael gives multiple Grade I winner Game on Dude a pet.
Game on Dude’s paddock mate, 2012 Breeders’ Cup Turf champion Little Mike.
My friend Linda gives Little Mike some pets.
Touch Gold, who spoiled Silver Charm’s Triple Crown bid by winning the 1997 Belmont Stakes.
Michael dotes on his beloved Silver Charm, the oldest living Kentucky Derby winner at 29.
Hall of Famer Lava Man in his stall in the barn.
Paddock signs hanging from the rafters in the barn display the names of former residents who have crossed the rainbow bridge.
2007 Haskell Stakes winner Any Given Saturday.
Pollard’s Vision and Even the Score are photographed amongst the spring flora.
Pollard’s Vision, so named because he is blind in one eye, like the famed jockey Red Pollard, who rode Seabiscuit. The former’s partial loss of vision didn’t keep him from winning multiple graded stakes races and earning over $1 million.
2011 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Amazombie, who sadly passed away recently.
Michael gives Rapid Redux some love.
Gottagoallday, a son of Bates Motel.
Treats from Linda!
Multiple graded stakes winner Fabulous Strike.
2020 Pegasus World Cup Turf winner Zulu Alpha with a paddock mate.
Multiple graded stakes winner Green Mask.
A sculpture of Medina Spirit carved out of a dead tree sits outside the farm.
Since my last Kentucky post, I made another video about my trip. This is a time lapse featuring thousands of photos I took while I was there. Email subscribers, click here to watch the video.
To see more of my equine photography be sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and X. All photos in this post © Samantha Decker and may not be reused without permission.
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One thought on “Kentucky Trip Part IV: Visiting Old Friends”
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There’s nothing like Old Friends!