3 weeks ago
GEORGETOWN, Ky. (AP) — Michael Blowen tin measurement extracurricular his location immoderate time of nan week and sojourn retired racehorses astatine Old Friends, nan thoroughbred status workplace he founded successful Kentucky 2 decades agone that attentively cares for erstwhile winners and losers alike.
From his home’s backdoor, Blowen tin watch 1 erstwhile racehorse awesome successful peculiar amble aimlessly successful a adjacent pasture: Silver Charm, nan champion thoroughbred that won nan 1997 Kentucky Derby.
“Hey, handsome,” Blowen called retired arsenic he sidled up to his longtime friend that now has only 4 remaining teeth and spends overmuch of his time napping. Silver Charm moved toward Blowen, who fed him a fistful of Mrs. Pastures equine cooky crumbs earlier pouring nan remainder into a provender bucket. The oldest surviving Derby victor past wandered to his h2o trough, sipped and dozed off.
“He’s beautiful predictable,” Blowen said. “He knows what he wants, and erstwhile he wants it.”
Welcome to Old Friends farm, a 236-acre (95.51-hectare) racehorse status organization extracurricular Georgetown, Kentucky, wherever champion thoroughbreds and lovable losers discontinue successful leisure amid nan splendor of Kentucky’s scenic bluegrass region, wiling distant successful nan shadows of erstwhile glory, past posing for pictures pinch devoted title fans who — particularly during Derby play — sojourn nan farm.
The Derby will beryllium held Saturday. At Old Friends, each time is Legends Day.
For $30, visitors return a guided, 90-minute stepping circuit while getting up-close looks astatine immoderate of nan farm’s astir celebrated residents, including Silver Charm and I’ll Have Another, nan 2012 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner.
Blowen, a erstwhile Boston Globe movie critic, started Old Friends successful 2003 pinch a leased paddock and 1 horse. He was conscionable getting started erstwhile news collapsed that 1986 Kentucky Derby victor Ferdinand had reportedly died successful a slaughterhouse successful Japan.
“Because Ferdinand was a Derby winner, it made a immense difference.” Blowen said of his ain run to supply a honorable and comfortable status for racehorses astatine Old Friends.
Today, astir 250 erstwhile racehorses telephone Old Friends home, whether astatine nan main workplace successful Kentucky aliases astatine 3 outer locations.
In Kentucky, Silver Charm’s regular daily is simple: He poses for circuit group photos and mingles pinch neighbors successful adjoining paddocks aft being fto retired into his shot field-sized paddock early successful nan morning. He prefers to return to his barn stall astir 3:30 p.m., naps often, but tin still break into an occasional run.
“He’ll travel down that elevation for illustration he was opening nan Lone Ranger show,” Blowen said.
Silver Charm has lived astatine Old Friends for astir a decade. Attention paid to nan 30-year-old Hall of Fame racehorse has travel to symbolize nan attraction thoroughbreds merit successful their aureate years, agelong aft moving their past title aliases producing their past foal, said Old Friends CEO John Nicholson.
“He is simply a awesome reminder that astatine nan bosom of our sport, astatine nan bosom of nan industry, is nan horse,” Nicholson said. “He reminds america that nan equine has fixed to america acold much than we’ve ever fixed back, and that we should ever effort to springiness back.”
The fraternity of erstwhile Derby winners spans equine farms worldwide, including Kentucky, nan sport’s epicenter. Once champion racehorses decorativeness racing, stud careers typically statesman successful nan dream that their bloodlines will sphere legacy, and nett profit.
Silver Charm followed nan aforesaid path. After a stellar racing profession that included wins astatine nan Derby, Preakness and Dubai World Cup — amassing net of astir $7 cardinal — his stud profession started astatine renowned Three Chimneys Farm successful Kentucky, aft which he spent years successful Japan.
Silver Charm was later shipped to Old Friends, wherever he’s go a beloved ambassador for nan farm.
For a while, 2 of Silver Charm’s top competitors — Touch Gold and Swain — were his Old Friends neighbors. Touch Gold won nan 1997 Belmont Stakes successful a agelong duel pinch Silver Charm that denied him nan Triple Crown. Silver Charm later defeated Swain astatine nan Dubai World Cup. Touch Gold still lives astatine Old Friends but Swain died location astatine property 30 successful 2022.
Not each Old Friends residents made it to nan winner’s circle. Zippy Chippy, equine racing’s lovable loser for ne'er winning successful 100 races, spent his aureate years successful comfortableness astatine nan Old Friends workplace successful upstate New York until his decease successful 2022.
“At nan first portion of their lives, they’re doing everything that group are telling them to do,” Nicholson said, adding that Old Friends relies mostly connected donations to meet yearly operating expenses that scope millions of dollars. “At this shape of their life, we’re doing everything they show america to do.”
If there’s room, Old Friends tries to judge immoderate thoroughbred that an proprietor wants to discontinue there, Blowen said. Owners must surrender ownership and present nan horse. Old Friends only accepts thoroughbreds and says horses deemed astatine “great risk” and stallions being returned from overseas person preference, according to its website.
As nan look of Old Friends, Silver Charm symbolizes nan life erstwhile racehorses deserve, Nicholson said.
“He was a awesome jock but since past has been an ambassador for moreover a higher calling,” he said. “And I deliberation that’s portion of his magic.”
For tourer Susan Hale, seeing Silver Charm up-close stirred memories of a hunch stake she made astatine nan 1997 Derby.
“I went to nan paddock arsenic he was being saddled, and I said, ‘I’m going to put immoderate money connected that equine correct there,’” Hale recalled of nan stake she placed connected Silver Charm that won her respective 100 dollars and allowed her to salary for meal pinch friends astatine a steakhouse later that night.
Silver Charm won nan title successful heart-pounding manner — and a lasting spot successful Hale’s heart. A framed people of Silver Charm successful his premier is displayed successful her surviving room backmost location successful Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
“He’s really why I’m here,” Hale said. “The different horses person been beautiful, too, but he’s my favorite.”
Still, Silver Charm’s astir patient companion remains Blowen, nan laminitis and retired president of Old Friends who tin spot his favourite equine simply by stepping retired his backdoor.
“Think of nan top point you ever laid your eyes connected and put it successful your backyard, and past you’ll person an idea,” Blowen said of what it’s for illustration to person Silver Charm arsenic a neighbor. “Every day, I get that.”
