Take a trip back in time to Spring 2020, starring Patch and 2x Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Stormy Liberal. See Patch and Michael race with a cameo by Little Silver Charm! And for all those wondering, yes Stormy and Patch did end up in the same paddock! www.youtube.com/watch?v=PelR....

Today we celebrate the beauty, heart, and enduring spirit of the horse, especially the incredible Thoroughbreds who call Old Friends home. From champions to horses living their best lives in retirement, each horse reminds us why they hold such a special place in our lives.

December eleven years ago was an exciting time for the farm with the one and only Silver Charm making his return to the U.S. from Japan. Enjoy this video of the champion’s arrival to Old Friends, where he quickly settled in and became our most famous resident.

And that’s a wrap on another wonderful tour season! In November, 600 folks from 24 states and Japan visited us! Regular tours may be over, but you can still book private or group tours all winter long—just give us a call at 502-863-1775. 📸 Laura Battles

We are saddened to share the loss of Normandy Invasion, who has passed away due to colic. The 15YO rose to prominence on the 2013 Kentucky Derby trail, where he finished 4th for Fox Hill Farms. A fan favorite, we extend our heartfelt condolences to all whose lives he touched.

Kicking off our new Winter Memory Reel series with this gem! Join Scott Hazleton as Michael conducts a mini tour featuring Silver Charm (just a year into his Old Friends residency!), Game On Dude, and the unforgettable duo of Popcorn Deelites & Special Ring.

We are truly thankful for our incredible volunteers, whose dedication makes everything we do possible. Each gives their time not for recognition, but because they care about & believe in our mission. They inspire us every day & we are deeply grateful for such a wonderful group!

Our 2026 Old Friends Feed-for-a-Day calendar makes a great gift & features some our most popular retirees! Javerre is on the cover with Silver Charm, Touch Gold, Mission Impazible, Big Blue Kitten, I’ll Have Another and more featured inside! Order here👉 www.ebay.com/itm/28693163...

This #GivingTuesday, your generosity gives our retirees the dignified life they deserve. If you’re giving today, we have several special options to support the Old Friends retirees you love AND have a donor matching up to $1,000 worth of donations! oldfriendsequine.org/givingtree/

McCraken came into the 2016 Kentucky Jockey Club on a 2-race win streak and made it clear he was one to watch on the Kentucky Derby trail when ending his undefeated juvenile season with a 1 ¼ length win under the twin spires.

Samantha Siegel’s Rail Trip has been with us for 11 years and currently causes chaos with his Paddock 30 buddies Cherono, Lion Hunter, and Noble Indy after a career that saw him win 9 races for $1.5 million in earnings, led by the G1 Hollywood Gold Cup. 📸 Laura Battles

Retired to Old Friends by our good friend Michael Hui 4 years ago, 2020 G1 Pegasus World Cup winner Zulu Alpha celebrated 12 victories in his career for over $2 million in earnings. He was an international star, starting his career in Ireland before switching to racing in North America.

Multiple graded stakes placed Starspangled Heat heard that we’re going back into birthday season in just over a month, but he’s always lived with a “if you’re not first, you’re last” mentality, so he’s celebrating early – today is his 17th birthday! 📸Laura Battles

In 2012 at Hollywood Park, Game On Dude joined fellow Old Friends retirees Alphabet Soup (1995) and Ruhlmann (1989) as winners of the Native Diver Stakes, a special race named in honor of the great Cal-bred Hall of Famer.

One of the very first horses you’ll see when you drive up to the farm is our one-eyed resident Pollard’s Vision. A graded stakes winning earner of $1.4 million who stood at stud in five different locations, he’s best known as the sire of champion Blind Luck!

Our retirees are thrilled to share that their Holiday Giving Tree is now live! Each year, they’re grateful for the kindness and thoughtfulness of their fans & friends. We can’t wait to see what you’ll choose for them this season (yes, even dental visits!).

We are devastated to share the passing of Touch Gold, the 1997 @BelmontStakes winner, who succumbed to the infirmities of old age at 31. Tough, intelligent, determined, & courageous, he embodied the very spirit of a champion on the track and in retirement. 📸 Laura Battles

The day after the Saints won their game, our Horse of the Day is Gayle Benson’s Saint Aloysius! The 12-year-old only raced twice and quickly showed it wasn’t the job for him so these days, he’s one of the six in the Paddock 31 BFF group. 📸 Laura Battles

It’s Award S. day at Aqueduct! Awad (1990-2011) was an incredible racehorse with 70 starts and 14 wins, earning $3.2 million. He excelled on grass, winning four Grade 1 turf races and arrived at Old Friends in 2006 after standing stud in Maryland and Pennsylvania.

One of our favorite traditions continues! Every year around the @breederscup.bsky.social, Dee Poulos sends a floral arrangement for Black Tie Affair's grave. They arrived the other day and just like every year, they're beautiful!

🥳The 2026 Old Friends Feed-for-a-Day Calendars are here! 🥳 Featuring Javerre on the cover, with Silver Charm, Touch Gold, Mission Impazible, and more celebrating each month inside! Order here 👉

Did you know Old Friends has been honored to serve as the retirement home for three @breederscup Classic champions? 🐎Awesome Again 🐎Black Tie Affair 🐎Alphabet Soup With many other Classic runners also calling Old Friends home.

Did You Know? Three Breeders' Cup Turf winners have called Old Friends home. 🐎In 1989, Prized took home the prize. 🐎In 1992 Fraise was the winner. 🐎And in 2012, current Old Friends star Little Mike visited the winner's circle.

Did You Know? If it seems like we’re collecting winners of the @BreedersCup Sprint, well, we are. Five have become Old Friends retirees! 🐴Precisionist 🐴Gulch 🐴 Cajun Beat 🐴Amazombie 🐴Work All Week 📸Laura Battles

Did You Know? Stormy Liberal is one of 26 horses that have won multiple Breeders’ Cup races. Stormy Liberal sprinted to victory in 2017 before this gutsy win in the 2018 edition held at Churchill Downs.

Did You Know? One year after the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile joined the Championship lineup, late Old Friends resident ALBERTUS MAXIMUS was part of a cavalry charge and swept to victory at Oak Tree at Santa Anita.

Did You Know? The Breeders’ Cup Marathon saw ELDAAFER run in four straight editions, winning in 2010 at Churchill Downs in a race that also featured future OF resident Awesome Gem. Take a look and tell us this horse can’t run all day!

The Official Aftercare Partner of the Breeders’ Cup is the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Old Friends has proudly been an original accredited TAA organization since its inception in 2013. Thank you, Breeders’ Cup for supporting aftercare and Old Friends!

Keeneland’s closing day means we’re down to one week left of our regular season tour schedule! We have limited tours available in November and will close from December to February. You can book your tour today at oldfriendsequine.org/visit/ 📸 @PyroisMedia

Bred by one of our best friends, Samantha Siegel and her dad Mace, El Oh El has been here since 2017. His paddock-mates V.E. Day, Forte Dei Marmi, and Own Agenda say he absolutely does laugh out loud at everything & it’s borderline annoying. 📸 Laura Battles

🐎Can You Help?🐎 This month we’re asking our amazing supporters for donations of two items we use a lot: Elastikon tape, & EasyBoots (sizes 4 and 5) If you’d like to help, you can donate both items through our Amazon Wish List at www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...

Hey everyone, it's Lava Man here with a Fall FundRacing update! You can help the boys catch Bold and Bossy or help her pull farther ahead by donating to your chosen team at oldfriendsequine.org/wp-content/u...!

Today we proudly celebrate National Kentucky Day and our place in KY’s equine heritage. Our $2.1 billion state industry is home to 31,000 operations with 209,500 horses, 48,500 of which are Thoroughbreds. There are 12,500 employees & 25 of them work tirelessly on our four farms!

We are sad to share the loss of Quindici Man, who was a 3 year resident of Old Friends. Quindici Man won the Pomona & Zia Park Derbies among his 47 career starts& earning $536,666. We’ll all miss the Man, especially paddock-mate Shackleson. Our condolences to all who loved him.

A 2020 arrival at Old Friends, graded stakes winner Poshsky raced from ages 3-10 with 76 starts and 16 wins for $823,383 in earnings. This small, valiant horse is an Old Friends favorite because he’s a great-grandson of one of earliest retirees, Ruhlmann. 📸 Laura Battles

In 2023 Welder moved in and brought his Oklahoma Racing Hall of Fame credentials with him! Today Welder celebrates Oklahoma Classics Day at Remington Park by remembering his Sprint scores in 2018-19-20. He’s easy to find. Just look for the gray streak!

Have you ever wanted to spend an evening at with us? Now is your opportunity. To celebrate a new partnership with MyRacehorse, we're having an event on 10/24 that will be filled with music, legends & unforgettable moments! Tickets 👉https://experiences.myracehorse.com/products/old-friends-farm-event

We have some very exciting news - the total amount raised for our HayRaiser is in! Because of your help, we raised $53,740.52 to feed our horses this winter! If you are a procrastinator we have good news. You can still donate at oldfriendsequine.org/old-friends-...!

Before Bellamy Road joined Old Friends 4 years ago, he was a successful G1 winner who went off as the favorite in the 2005 Kentucky Derby before becoming a stallion. Owner Jessica Steinbrenner faithfully supports him and still visits him in Kentucky regularly. 📸 Laura Battles

Nine years ago Timothy James was one of 40+ horses found in a neglect case in Mercer County, KY and came to Old Friends. After suffering an injury this summer, TJ is recuperating, thanks to loads of TLC from Rood and Riddle, and waiting for the day he can return to his buddies in Paddock 32.

With today’s running of the Maryland Million, we celebrate early Old Friends retirees Awad, a major graded stakes winner who found success early in his career in the 1993 Turf, and Richard’s Lass who claimed victory in the 1992 Oaks.

FundRacing update from Lava Man: Bold And Bossy is showing off the speed that made her famous for running down the freeway as she pulls away from I'll Have Another& Game On Dude to put the mares in front! Picks sides and donate to the FundRacer here👉 oldfriendsequine.org/wp-content/u...

Eight-year resident Bent On Bourbon is one of a trio of retirees from Bourbon Lane Stables and enjoys life with his eight BFFs in Paddock 32. Back before he joined us, he was a stakes winning racehorse as the winner of the G3 Iowa Derby in 2015. 📸 Laura Battles

We had a fun visitor at Ashton Grove recently when former resident Winston stopped by to say hi to everyone! You can read all about it and see a video of his return in this recent Old Friends' blog 👉https://oldfriendsblog.wordpress.com/2025/10/

Happy @NHL Opening Day! We have an NHL-inspired name on the farm in 12-year resident Sean Avery. The gelding won the G1 Alfred Vanderbilt as a racehorse and today shares Paddock 32 with nine retirees. 📸 Laura Battles

We’re closing in on the end of the year, but that hasn’t stopped visitors from coming to the farm. In September, we had 998 people come feed our horses carrots with the group hailing from 29 states and Canada! Book a tour here👉 oldfriendsequine.org/visit/

It's time for our weekly FundRacing update from Lava Man! Want to help Game On Dude overtake the top two for the lead or Bold and Bossy run away from the boys? Donate here👉https://oldfriendsequine.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Fall-FundRacing2.pdf

This year’s edition is over, but we’re celebrating Big Blue Kitten with one final race throwback of the week to relive his glory days. At one point trailing by 17 lengths, Big Blue Kitten rushed up on the outside to win the 2015 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic.

The 2013 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic was full of future Old Friends residents. Little Mike gamely outfinished a charging Big Blue Kitten to win the photo (today they live only a few paddocks from each other). Also in the field – future Old Friends resident King Kreesa.

He did It! In 2020, Channel Maker won the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic for the second time in a front-running, 12-furlong tour-de-force.