Old Friends is now home to 14 retired Thoroughbreds, and Blowen said new paddocks are currently under construction.
Multiple grade I stakes winners Fraise and Ogygian arrived at the Old Friends retirement facility Aug. 16. Old Friends is based at Alfred H. Nuckols Jr.'s Hurstland Farm near Midway, Ky. Michael Blowen, president of Old Friends, said the money needed to purchase and transport the two horses from Japan to Kentucky was donated by Madeleine Paulson, in whose name Fraise raced.Fraise, who was gelded while in Japan, was a riding horse at the Olympic Academy in Tokyo, according to Blowen. Now 17, Fraise won the Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) in 1992, the same year he took the Sword Dancer Handicap (gr. IT). His other grade I victory came in the following year's Hollywood Turf Cup. A six-time graded stakes winner, Fraise earned better than $2.6 million in a four-year race career. He was bred by Allen Paulson.Ogygian had fallen out of favor as a stud horse in Japan, said Blowen. Ogygian, 22, was undefeated in three races as a 2 year old. He won the Futurity (gr. I) in 1985 and the Jerome Handicap and Dwyer Stakes (both gr. I) the following year. In all, he made $455,520. In his stallion career, he sired 23 stakes winners.Blowen said a homecoming party for the two horses would be held at Old Friends Aug. 27 at 4 p.m., with Madeleine Paulson and her new groom, Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens, expected to attend. There will be food, beverage, music, and a yard sale. The party is open to the public, and admission is $20. Blowen also said Old Friends was expecting the arrival of Special Ring the week of Aug. 22. The 8 year old gelded son of Nureyev earned better than $900,000 racing for Prestonwood Farm. He took back-to-back runnings of the Eddie Read Handicap (gr. IT) in 2003 and 2004. Special Ring was donated to Old Friends by owner Jack Preston.