From Michael…
The brief morning chill was exactly what the doctor ordered for our frisky residents. Virtually all of the geldings and mares were leaping and running with the wind in their manes and their heads held high. While Affirmed Success stopped long enough to devour his daily mint and MiketheSpike took his place at the first feed tub, Ball Four and Bonapaw, both up on their hind legs, looked as if they were auditioning for “Dancing with the Stars.” These are the refreshing mornings that re-invigorate the body and the soul. The stuff that dreams are made of.
Arson Squad’s post-operative recovery couldn’t be going better and he must be looking forward to Samantha Siegel’s visit next week. Marquetry has completely regained his exuberance and it’s hard to believe how good Clever Allemont looks after all he’s been through.
I wish that I could write just about the horses in each update. But the part of the work I hate the most..in fact, despise might be a better word…is the fundraising. After nearly a decade, I thought we’d be much further along the road to financial security. I guess there are a lot of people who don’t see what I see as obvious. These are amazing athletes who shouldn’t have to beg for a dignified retirement. They earned nearly $90 million on the track. And get no social security. I think people should consider it a privilege to donate to these athletes. But, in many cases, I’d be wrong.
The other trouble with asking for donations is what I’ve come to call the burden of the generous. People with financial resources who believe racehorses deserve better are not just hounded by me but my hundreds of others. At a certain point they must want to ignore the e-mails and their phones and hang up a no solicitation sign. I can’t bring myself to call Jerry Moss or Dottie Ingordo-Shirreffs one more time. I don’t have the courage. We have a great supporter named Mary Ostrowski who’s not rich. But she’s emptying her treasure trove of horse racing memorabilia so we can raise money for the farm.
One great thing that’s come out of this is our relationship with Daily Racing Form and Mandy Minger. The DRF and Old Friends are fundraising partners in the Old Friends Winner’s Circle, a program where Thoroughbred owners can designate one of their current athletes to the OFWC by pledging 5% of the winner’s purse to Old Friends. The DRF will publish the names of the athletes before their races and follow it up with a congratulatory announcement when they win. It’s great for the sport, great for the owners and, of course, great for the retirees. Any Thoroughbred owner can call Old Friends at 502 863-1775 to nominate their horse. I’m hoping that it will be so successful I won’t have to spend the rest of my life holding a tin cup.
I just turned 65 and I think I can do this forever but I know I can’t. When it comes time for me to hand the reins over to someone younger with new ideas and energy, I want Old Friends to be on sound financial footing. We’ve already accomplished a lot. We were granted verified status by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries and we had a clean bill of health from the IRS. Most importantly, all the horses look great. In the meantime, if you plan on making a 2012 donation there’s no time like the present. We anticipate some very successful fundraisers..Ferdinand’s Ball, Homecoming and others..and an increase in visitors, But we could really use some help in the short term to pay the feed bill, the vet bill and the bank. Thank you so much for everything. Without our many fans, we wouldn’t exist. Whether you make a donation or not, be assured we are eternally grateful for your love of these magnificent athletes..
