When 2004 Belmont and Travers Stakes winner Birdstone arrived at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, Ky., after 15 years as a stallion at Gainesway Farm, it took him longer than most retirees to the farm to get acclimated. Old Friends founder Michael Blowen said most stallions run the fence a few times in their new paddock, settle in, and get used to the good life of a steady stream of carrots. But Birdstone, a 19-year-old by Grindstone, was plagued by anxiety during his first week at Old Friends.
