Georgetown | Horse Racing Free Tips

Veteran Racer Red Knight Arrives At Old Friends

GISW Red Knight (Pure Prize) arrived safely at his new home on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at Old Friends in Georgetown, Kentucky, the retirement farm said in a release Friday morning.

Bred, raced and donated by owner Tom Egan of Trinity Farm, the 9-year-old Red Knight was a stalwart campaigner over 38 races in which he was 12-9-2 with total earnings tallying at $1,886,338.

The highlight of his lengthy career came this year when he won the GI Man o' War S. at Belmont Park May 13, becoming just the third 9-year old to win a Grade I race in New York.

“He has a big personality,” Egan said. “He likes people, but he doesn't suffer fools, whether they're grooms or exercise riders.”

Egan went on to thank trainer Mike Maker, who he believes made all the difference last year after he took over for Bill Mott, and helped the veteran runner capture the Man o' War S.

“I stalked Tom Egan ever since the Saratoga meet concerning Red Knight,” said Old Friends President, Michael Blowen. “I adored Red Knight and knew that, at nine, his racing career was nearing the end. Tom was gracious enough to acknowledge my adoration and, now, his wonderful horse is here. What could be better?”

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GISW V. E. Day Arrives At Old Friends

Old Friends in Georgetown, Kentucky, welcomed V. E. Day this week, the retirement farm said in a release Friday.

The 2014 GI Travers S. hero, V. E. Day (English Channel–California Sunset, by Deputy Minister) came to Old Friends following the death of his owner-breeder Magalen O. Bryant in 2021. Bryant's representative, Johnathan Miller, and her daughter, K. C. Graham, visited Old Friends earlier this year when it was decided that the stallion would retire from stud duty.

“V. E. Day was a courageous Travers winner and we inquired about his post-breeding career last year,” said Michael Blowen, president and founder of Old Friends. “We're very excited that his owner trusts us with her magnificent chestnut.”

Foaled in Kentucky on April 21, 2011, V. E. Day was trained by James Jerkens for Bryant his entire American racing career. After a stint racing in France as a 6-year-old, he retired with $1,044,061 in earnings over 17 career starts.

During his stud career, the stallion stood at Waldorf Farm in New York, Lovacres Ranch near Warner Springs, California and Buck Pond Farm in Versailles, Kentucky.

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Flightline, Born From The Heart of a Lyon

Within minutes of Flightline crossing the wire in another jaw-dropping victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic, the question buzzing across the racing world was whether we would get the chance to see him race again. Many argued against his retirement, saying racing needs a hero and, at least right now and for the foreseeable future, he is certainly it.

Some 16 hours later, we got our answer. The unbeaten sensation was retired to the Lane's End stallion barn, where he is already in high demand. Many were saddened to see their hero ride off into the sunset (though I have no doubt he will remain in the headlines for many years to come). However, what those people don't realize is racing still has the hero it needs, and her name is Jane Lyon.

First of all, without Jane, there is no Flightline. Along with her trusted team, Jane picked out his dam Feathered and, in true Jane Lyon fashion, fought off all comers to secure the mare she wanted. The Arkansas native and her brain trust chose Tapit for the mare's 2017 breeding and on March 14, 2018, Flightline was born in a deep bed of straw at Lyon's beautiful Summer Wind Farm in Georgetown, Kentucky. I'm sure Lyon was right there to towel the colt off and mark him with her lipstick.

It took more than choosing the right mare and stallion to create Flightline. It was also the top-notch care, extreme attention to detail and, most importantly Jane and her giant heart. She loves every single animal on her property with everything she has, especially her foals, who all get plenty of carrots, kisses and sweet words from their breeder throughout their life at Summer Wind. Jane keeps track of them all long after they leave the farm and welcomes them back home if they ever need a soft place to land.

Jane makes sure everyone in her employ is aware of the kindness she expects her horses to be shown. She always says you can teach horses with sternness and punishment or with love and kindness, and she chooses the latter. Her outlook and endless devotion create horses who are good-minded, very people friendly, smart and kind. Flightline has been described to have all these attributes.

I know what you're thinking. There are plenty of owners and breeders who love their horses and are kind to them. You're right. But I assure you, none of them are like Jane Lyon.

Jane is a bright light in an industry that has been plagued with darkness, especially over the last few years. She always says I oversell her, or I'm biased, when I describe her to others, but I have yet to find one person who disagrees with me. Jane is as kind and generous to people as she is to her animals, always offering a kind word and her signature million-dollar smile to everyone she meets.

Jane happily shares her farm, elite broodmares and regally bred foals with any horse lover, which is how I came to know her. The first time I spoke to Jane was a phone interview after American Pharoah won the Triple Crown. It was just two years into my career, and we had a lovely, 30-minute conversation about her pride and joy Littleprincessemma, after which I realized my recorder had missed it all. Embarrassed, I called back, and Jane graciously went through it all again. I had the pleasure of interviewing Jane a few more times over the next few years, and she was equally gracious each time, always remembering my name. In 2018, the opportunity came to do a story that would bring me to Summer Wind, a dream come true, and she welcomed me with open arms.

The first time I stepped foot on Summer Wind, a farm I now know as well as my own neighborhood, it was just six weeks after Flightline was born. I can't say I remember him from that day or knew I was looking at a future superstar as my focus was on his barnmate Triple Tap, a half-brother to my hero at the time, American Pharoah. What I did know however, is I was among greatness at Summer Wind, both human and equine.

Jane Lyon & Flightline | Sarah Andrew

I ended up spending the entire day with Jane, even witnessing the foaling of Princess Arabella's 2018 Union Rags colt. Long after the interview had ended, we chatted away like old friends. It is an anomaly among horsewomen. When they recognize a kindred spirit whose passion for horses burns as bright as their own, it bonds them instantly and that is what happened that fateful day in Georgetown.

Ever since that day, Summer Wind has become a regular stop on my frequent trips to Kentucky. I spend at least one day of my trip driving through the farm with Jane looking at (and feeding carrots to) racing's past and future stars, wondering which of the beautiful foals before me will be the next McKinzie, Moonshine Memories, Chasing Yesterday, Game Winner or Flightline.

While neither Jane, myself, nor anyone else could have ever predicted Flightline would become what he did, it does not surprise me that a horse like that came off Jane's farm. And, in my opinion, there is no one that deserves it more.

Jane has faced plenty of adversity throughout her life and has been tested time and time again, but that is her story to tell. What I will tell you though, is she is as fierce as she is kind and doesn't let anything keep her down for long. Jane has put in plenty of time, effort, sweat, tears and, of course, love to get to be the highly respected breeder, and person, she is today.

I've met a lot of great people over the past decade working in this industry, but there is no one like Jane. I have never seen another horsewoman of her stature lay in the stall with a motherless foal and stroke her to sleep, giving her the motherly love she was lacking, like Jane has on more than one occasion. She takes in every stray dog dropped at her doorstep and provides them a dream life. She claims any Summer Wind-bred she finds running at a cheap track somewhere and brings them home to live out their days in her retirement field. She opens her door and her heart to anyone I or any other friend asks to bring along for a one-of-a-kind day at Summer Wind (as well as the Littleprincessemma fans who reach her office manager). She cooks for three people as if she has 10 coming for dinner, so she can also feed her staff as a mother feeds her children. She will go above and beyond to help anyone in need and always puts others before herself.

Jane's most endearing quality is her humility. In fact, she will probably hate that I spent so many words gushing over her in such a public forum, but I assure you all, every one of them is true and well deserved.

The other day, a friend of mine, who has met Jane on two occasions now, said, “the world doesn't deserve Jane,” after I told her a heart-warming anecdote about Jane from earlier that day. I told the same story to another friend, whom I brought along for one of those very special Summer Wind days, and her response was, “we need more people like Jane in this world.” They both could not be more right.

Jane is one of the few truly kind, genuine and selfless people left in this world. When things in the industry get a bit dark and I begin to get discouraged, I look to Jane and see everything that is good in this sport. She gives me hope and reminds me why I love racing.

So, while I'll miss seeing Flightline on the racetrack as much as everyone else, I'm just so glad those of us in racing still have a hero among us in Jane Lyon. I don't know about you, but I can't wait to see what she gives us next.

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Retired Thoroughbreds at Home in Senior Living Community

As soon as Bev Passerello retired as a riding instructor, she and her husband John sold their home in California, bought an RV and traveled the country. At some point along the way, they ended up in Louisville on the first Saturday in May.

“After I saw the Kentucky Derby for the first time, every trip back and forth across the United States went through Kentucky,” Bev said. “John finally said, ‘I give up, it looks like we’re going to move to Kentucky.'”

So they parked their motor home in the Bluegrass State for good, bought a broodmare and got in on a few racing partnerships, and fell in love with the people and Thoroughbreds of Central Kentucky.

Last year, they were looking for a senior living residence where they could receive some assistance but still live independently when they came across Ashton Grove Senior Living in Georgetown.

For Bev, horses were the only thing missing from the picturesque community. When she discovered that half of Ashton Grove’s 80 acres were unoccupied and on part of the old Hill ‘n’ Dale property, an idea began to form.

John and Bev reached out to Michael Blowen, the founder and president of Old Friends.

“We had been associated with Old Friends for quite a while,” John said. “I knew that every once in a while, people offer horses to Michael, and he doesn’t have the room. So we made a phone call to Michael, and he said, ‘Sounds great.'”

The partnership between Ashton Grove and Old Friends quickly formed, and the team got to work with the dream of creating a unique arrangement where retired Thoroughbreds could interact with the residents at the senior living community on 40 acres of land that features eight paddocks and a 12-stall barn.

“We’re so fortunate that we had this barn and all of this land,” said Ashton Grove’s Executive Director Davonna Saeir. “We went ahead and started to fix up some fences so we could get horses out here.”

The plans were brought to a halt this spring due to the pandemic.

“Just after we got started, the Coronavirus set in and the whole thing just sort of started falling apart,” Bev said. “But Davonna and Michael have never given up and have never failed to support us and what we were trying to do.”

Last month, the first seven retired Thoroughbreds finally stepped onto the grounds.

“We wanted to find horses that were really good together and had a gentle nature to them so that they could be around the residents,” said John Bradley, who will serve as manager of the new Old Friends facility, helping to acclimate the senior residents with their new equine neighbors and overseeing the daily care of the Thoroughbred retirees.

The new arrivals include dual Grade I winner Daytona (Ire) {Indian Ridge (Ire)}, 2002 Preakness S. runner-up Magic Weisner (Ameri Valay) and Chilean champion Porfido (Chi) {Mash One (Chi)}.

Blowen was effusive in his praise for the new program.

“It’s all worked out really well,” he said. “The residents all seem to be very supportive. They’re learning about the horses and we’re going to have lunches and parties here.”

Blowen said he plans to have celebrity guest jockeys, trainers, and other industry participants visit to educate residents about horse racing and the Thoroughbred industry in central Kentucky.

The Passerello’s have been involved in every step of the process as they live on-site in independent living. Bev said that this gives them the opportunity to introduce other residents to the new equine seniors in their community.

“How do I feed a horse? Can I come down in my wheelchair? Will they get to know us? The questions are ongoing,” she said. “But a lot of them have had to give up their animal companionship. A lot of them have lost loved ones. To have these creatures down here has been very rewarding for them. It’s been a spectacular personal achievement for us to be able to bring these residents down here. It’s just what we dreamed would happen.”

Tom Emerson has been a resident at Ashton Grove for five months and has quickly developed into one of the program’s biggest supporters as he stops by the paddocks daily to distribute carrots.

“It’s been a wonderful experience,” he said. “I grew up in cities and had never been this close to a horse before. I had never fed a horse before and I’m glad he took the carrots and not my fingers. I hope these horses enjoy Ashton Grove as much as I do. When my wife passed away, I was looking for a great group of people for company and I found it. Now I’ve got a great bunch of horses to be with too.”

Ashton Grove’s Saeir said that visiting the horses at Ashton Grove has been rejuvenating for many of the senior residents.

“A lot of times when someone moves into assisted living, they’ve gone through a lot of loss,” she said. “They’ve lost their spouse. They’ve lost their vitality. Oftentimes they’ve lost their ability to drive and do things that really were meaningful to them. But these horses are part of their heritage. It’s just another aspect of true home and comfort that they are able to get by living here.”

Saeir added that as many of the normal community activities have been canceled due to the ongoing pandemic, the ability to be outside and interact with the horses and other residents has been a bright spot for many of Ashton’s Groves members.

“It’s fun to see, because I’m already starting to see some unique friendships start between some of the staff and the residents with some of the horses,” said Bradley. “This is just the beginning. Over time, we figure to have about 30 horses in this facility.”

Already in the first few weeks of operation, Old Friends at Ashton Grove has received inquiries from other senior living communities in Kentucky and beyond.

“There’s been a lot of interest in the concept,” said Bev. “We’re getting a lot of people talking to us now. I think it will become a model, I truly do, because there’s been so much interest.”

John added, “More Thoroughbreds need to be saved, so if this can happen in other places it would be great for the horses and for the senior citizens.”

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