Old Friends Buys Japanese Stallion Ogygian

Fresh on the heels of welcoming pensioned stallion Taylor's Special to its retirement center, Old Friends has purchased Japanese stallion Ogygian so that the 22-year-old grade I-winning son of Damascus can live out his final days at Old Friends' property located on Alfred Nuckols Jr.'s Hurstland Farm near Midway, Ky.

"He's set to arrive in mid-August," said Old Friends founder Michael Blowen. "We bought him for ¥1.5 million (about $13,400) and went through Megumi Igarashi of Narvick International Japan. I don't know what farm he was at in Japan, but he informed us to get him off that farm as soon as possible."

Ogygian was taken to Origasa Farm, the same farm where Eclipse Award winner Sunshine Forever was located when Old Friends bought him. Sunshine Forever continues to reside at Old Friends.

"They treat horses really well there," Blowen said.

Ogygian, a three-time grade I winner as a homebred for James and Virginia Binger's Tartan Farms, stood at the Hancock family's Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky., before he was sent to East Stud in Japan following the 1995 breeding season.

"During his breeding career there, he ended up losing an eye," Blowen said.

Ogygian was one of the top runners of his generation. As a 2-year-old, he went unbeaten in three starts and won the 1985 Futurity Stakes (gr. I) in such a way that he was shared top weight of 126 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap. As 3-year-old, he took the Jerome Handicap (gr. I) and Dwyer (gr. I) and Riva Ridge Stakes. Trained by Jan Nerud, Ogygian retired with earnings of $455,520.

As a stallion, Ogygian sired 23 stakes winners, including such North American graded winners as D'Hallevant, Dice Dancer, Ramblin Guy, and Fly'n J. Bryan.