Old Friends Welcomes 2012 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Winner I’ll Have Another

Dual Classic winner and champion 3-year-old colt I'll Have Another (Flower Alley) has been donated to Old Friends by owner Paul Reddam. The 14-year-old former stallion arrived to the Thoroughbred retirement farm Wednesday.

“Welcoming I'll Have Another is an auspicious and historic moment for Old Friends,” said John Nicholson, president and CEO of Old Friends. “We are deeply grateful to Paul Reddam and Doug O'Neill for choosing Old Friends to care for this great champion and to celebrate his magnificent legacy with thousands of our annual visitors. Being able to welcome our fourth Kentucky Derby winner to retire at Old Friends is further tribute to the vision and values of our founder and my friend, Michael Blowen.”

Reddam added, “It is fantastic that he will have a permanent home at Old Friends where everyone can visit him. There was a lot of concern when he went to Japan for stud duty and that is permanently put to rest with his return to Kentucky.”

I'll Have Another is the fourth GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S. winner to be retired to the farm. The other three are Silver Charm, War Emblem, and Charismatic.

“I'll Have Another is an amazing horse–very blue collar, workmanlike,” O'Neill said. “He was so naturally competitive. He meant and still means so much to us around the barn. He took us on the ride of a lifetime winning the Santa Anita Derby, Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. We're so grateful for his brilliance and being able to work alongside him during his amazing career.”

Upon his retirement, I'll Have Another was sold for $10 million to the Hokkaido-based Big Red Farm in Japan and began his stud career there in 2013. He remained there through 2018, then returned to the United States and stood at Ballena Vista Farm in Ramona, Calif. from 2019 to 2020, before moving to Reddam's Ocean Breeze Ranch in Bonsall, Calif. from 2021 to 2024.

He was pensioned in 2024.

“We are so grateful to Mr. Reddam and to Doug for trusting us to give their Derby and Preakness winner a safe, healthy, and fun retirement,” said Michael Blowen, founder and past president of Old Friends. “We're planning to put I'll Have Another in the paddock adjacent to Lava Man's. How cool is that?”

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Old Friends To Host Open House Welcoming Lava Man Nov. 26

Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Farm in Georgetown, KY, will host an Open House Saturday, Nov. 26 from noon until 2pm for fans to meet new retiree Lava Man (Slew City Slew). The event is free and open to the public. Pizza and lava crunch cakes will be served.

The now 21-year old posted an impressive resume during a racing career that spanned seven years including victories in the GI Pacific Classic, GI Hollywood Gold Cup, and the GII Goodwood H., now called the Awesome Again. Lava Man retired as a 9-year-old with over $5.2 million in earnings.

Upon his retirement from racing, he became a lead pony in Doug O'Neill Stables, a position he held until Nov. 5 when he made his final appearance on the track leading Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbox) to the gate for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

On Tuesday, Nov. 8, Lava Man, aka “Coach”, arrived at Old Friends where he will enjoy his well-earned retirement.

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Old Friends Opens Up Halter Auction to Absentee Bidding

Kentucky's Thoroughbred retirement farm Old Friends, which previously announced a Breeders' Cup celebration to be held Sunday, Nov. 6, has opened up absentee auction bidding for halters worn by Affirmed Success, Authentic, Groupie Doll, Gun Runner, Lava Man, Midnight Bisou, Paynter, War Front, and Yoshida (Jpn). Each item is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.

Interested buyers unable to attend on Sunday can bid by emailing name, address, phone number, and highest bid to: horses@oldfriendsequine.org. For more information on the event, click here. Bidding deadline is Saturday, Nov. 5, at 8 p.m. ET.

The post Old Friends Opens Up Halter Auction to Absentee Bidding appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Vox Populi Winner Hot Rod Charlie Pleases O’Neill, Prat With Saturday Breeze

One of America's top three-year-olds from 2021, trainer Doug O'Neill's Hot Rod Charlie, winner of the 2021 Secretariat Vox Populi (Voice of the People) Award, worked a half mile just prior to 12 noon at Santa Anita on Saturday in :48.52 and galloped out five furlongs under regular rider Flavien Prat in 1:02.15.

Accompanied by O'Neill's $5.2 million earner and current stable pony Lava Man, Hot Rod Charlie came on the main track via the quarter mile chute at 11:48 a.m., galloped through the stretch, broke free from Lava Man heading to the 4 ½ furlong pole and was set down at the half mile by Prat.

Hugging the rail entering the stretch, Hot Rod Charlie got the first quarter mile in :24.48 and came to the wire with his ears up.

“Charlie went really nice,” said O'Neill. “The main thing is, Flavien was very happy with him. Flavien said, 'He did it very easily.'”

Most recently second, beaten a nose as the 1-5 favorite here in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes Dec. 26, Hot Rod Charlie, who was third in the Kentucky Derby, second in the Belmont Stakes and who won the G1 Pennsylvania Derby prior to finishing fourth in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 6, has amassed earnings of $2,511,200 from an overall mark of 13-3-3-3. (Although he finished first in the G1 Haskell Invitational July 17, he was disqualified to last).

Owned by Boat Racing, LLC, Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck), Roadrunner Racing and William Strauss, Hot Rod Charlie was purchased as a yearling by O'Neill's brother, Dennis, for $110,000.

Hot Rod Charlie's connections will be presented with the Vox Populi Award in a Winner's Circle ceremony following Saturday's fourth race.

The colt is expected to fly to Dubai on Jan. 17, where he will prep for the Dubai World Cup in March.

The post Vox Populi Winner Hot Rod Charlie Pleases O’Neill, Prat With Saturday Breeze appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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