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April 14, 2004 – Midway, KY
Media contact: Michael Blowen
President, Old Friends
Phone: (859) 846-9995, Email: Michael@oldfriendsequine.org

Old Friends Open House Set for April 17th

April 14, 2004 – Midway, KY – Old Friends will be hosting its first Open House on the grounds of Afton Farm on Saturday, April 17, 2004 from 4 PM to 9 PM to showcase their two horses, Narrow Escape and Rich in Dallas, and to educate the public on horse retirement. Admission is free and open to all. Reservations are not required. Valet parking will be available, and dress is casual/“come as you are.”

Representatives from other horse retirement groups will be in attendance, including The Exceller Fund, ReRun, Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, C.A.N.T.E.R, and Bethlehem Farm.

“Bringing all these horse retirement groups together for one big event is a first, and we hope to make this an annual tradition. The solidarity of these groups working together is a spectacular achievement and benefits everyone involved -- most importantly, the horses we’re helping,” said Melissa Miller, Vice President and Director of Public Relations for The Exceller Fund.

“The two most neglected groups in racing are the fans and the athletes,” said Michael Blowen, President of Old Friends. “We have an obligation to care for these great athletes...to give them a dignified retirement and to have a place where their fans can visit them. We can’t idolize them when they’re running and slaughter them when they’re done. It’s not only ignorant and immoral, it’s a waste of a valuable resource. Ferdinand can not have died in vain.”

The Old Friends Open House festivities will include silent and live auctions, live music, catered food and beverages, sales of horse-related gifts and crafts, and photo opportunities with such notable people as Secretariat’s owner, Penny Chenery, and trainer Charles Whittingham’s widow, Mrs. Whittingham, as well as Narrow Escape and Rich in Dallas.

Narrow Escape, Old Friends’ first horse, is a 21 year-old daughter of Exceller, who was graciously donated by Franks Farms. Rich in Dallas, a 9 year-old gelding, was one of the seven horses that played Seabiscuit in the movie of the same name. Old Friends, The Exceller Fund and ReRun teamed up to retire Rich in Dallas after he ran a $2,500 claiming race at Los Alamitos in late March, with the generous help of an anonymous donor from California.

Directions to Afton Farm: 7576 Georgetown Road in Franklin County. From the intersection of Midway Road and Leestown Road, continue west on Leestown for 1.5 miles. Right on Fishers Mill Road, 3.5 miles to stop sign. Left at stop sign. It's less than one mile to Afton Farm on your right.

For more information on Old Friends and the Open House, please visit www.oldfriendsequine.org.

About Old Friends

The major goal of Old Friends is to draw attention to retired Thoroughbred athletes by promoting famous racehorses that are no longer in service. By giving these horses a fine facility we can illustrate how a quality lifestyle is due every race horse. Through a campaign of education and tourism, racing owners, breeders, fans, jockeys and racetracks can see how a post-racing career can be built on the love and understanding of the animal. More information about Old Friends is available at www.oldfriendsequine.org.

OLD FRIENDS, a proposed facility for retired Thoroughbred stallions, will hold its “Evening Under the Stars” fundraiser at Hopewell Farm on July 23 from 7-11 p.m. Entertainment will be provided by comedian Frank Santorelli, who plays the bartender on the HBO mega-hit “The Sopranos.” He’s even volunteered to serve drinks. Food will be provided by Holly Hill Inn, beer by Kentucky Ale and wine by Bacchus Fine Wines and Spirits of Midway. A silent auction of horse and movie-related items includes a poster from the “The Story of Seabiscuit” (1952), props from the new “Seabiscuit” motion picture and various vintage posters from horse racing films donated by Hoof Prints. Halters from famous stallions, generously contributed by area farms will also be auctioned. Tickets are $200 and include an autographed copy of Barbara Livingston’s “Old Friends: Visits With My Favorite Thoroughbreds.” Call 859 846-4956 for tickets and reservations. Non-profit status is pending.

“The idea for “Old Friends” started when we were trying to re-locate two Parrish Hill barns on the development property,” said Michael Blowen, president of “Old Friends,” referring to the green space behind Midway Station on I-64. “Then, it just evolved from there. Rick Trontz of Hopewell Farm suggested it might make a great place for pensioned-off stallions and he’s generously offered the farm for the fundraiser. We want “Old Friends” to be a showplace for the sport. It’s great for the fans to see these retired stars, great for the owners who have a place to retire their champions and great for the Bluegrass because it’ll attract tourists to horse racing’s rich and wonderful heritage.”

For Immediate Release
Thursday, July 24, 2003

Old Friends Campaigns to Return Retired Studs from Foreign Countries

Kentucky Derby winners Strike the Gold (1991) and Sea Hero (1993) are doing fine as studs outside Istanbul, Turkey, according to Rick Trontz of Hopewell Farm. Reinforced Thursday morning by a fax received by Nick Zito, Strike the Gold’s trainer, the Turkish Jockey Club stated that Strike the Gold was in “a fine and healthy condition.”

“This is gratifying information,” says Michael Blowen, President of Old Friends. News last week of the death of 1986 Derby winner, Ferdinand, was a devastating blow to American horse racing fans. He was sent to the slaughterhouse to be made into dog food after it was decided his stud services were no longer needed.

“We are designing documents that would give “Old Friends” a buy-back option when theses stallions’ careers are over,” developing a fail-safe system to assure a dignified retirement for Derby-winning stallions. Midway, Kentucky-based retirement facility, Old Friends, would like to make the buy-back idea a requirement for all foreign sales. “These athletes have given a lot and we cannot let what happened to Ferdinand ever happen again,” says Blowen.

Old Friends is also interested in making sure Derby winners War Emblem and Charismatic, among others, are guaranteed a long and fruitful retirement back in the United States. “And that’s just the beginning,” says Blowen. “We hope to generate enough tourist income so these champions can help their less talented and unfortunate brothers and sisters.” Horses related to Derby winners War Emblem and Charismatic are also in Thoroughbred retirement facilities such as ReRun, Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation and Exceller Fund.

Old Friends, in conjunction with Hopewell Farm, is drawing up documents that would guarantee a dignified retirement for Thoroughbreds. The agreements between Old Friends and a variety of foreign buyers would guarantee that the stallions would return to Midway, Kentucky.

CONTACT: Michael Blowen (859) 846-4956.