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Old Friends Pensioner Slim Shadey Euthanized With Leg Fracture Following Colic Surgery

Two-time graded-stakes winner Slim Shadey has died. The 13-year-old gelding had been a pensioner at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement farm based in Georgetown, Ky., since 2019.

Old Friends attending veterinary, Dr. Bryan Waldridge, released this statement: “Slim Shadey showed signs of colic and was referred for further diagnostics and treatment. Exploratory surgery revealed a twisted large intestine that was corrected. Unfortunately, he fractured a hind leg recovering from anesthesia. Bone fractures during recovery from anesthesia are uncommon, but an inherent risk of equine anesthesia.”

Slim Shadey was bred in Great Britain by Phil Cunningham and spent two seasons racing throughout England and Ireland. He made his U.S. debut for Cunningham and trainer Simon Callaghan in 2012 at Santa Anita, kicking off what was to become his banner season.

In February of 2012 Slim Shadey captured his first graded-stakes, the Grade 2 San Marcos at Santa Anita (a race he would capture again in 2013). Then, in September of that year, Slim Shadey took the top spot in the G2 John Henry Turf Championship, which served as a stepping stone to a run in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf, where he finished eighth.

By 2014 Slim began a series of claims to trainers David Jacobson and John Servis (for owner Michael Dubb), before ending with owner Michael Hui and trainer Mike Maker in June of 2018 at Belmont Park.

Retired in 2019, Slim Shadey ended his career with 83 starts, 14 wins, and earnings of $1,278,855.

“Slim Shadey was on Old Friends' radar for nearly two years,” said Old Friends President Michael Blowen. “Between Michael Dubb and Michael Hui, I knew he was in great hands. When Hui called to say he was ready I was overjoyed. Today I was equally devastated,” Blowen continued. “You try to do what's best and, even then, it doesn't always work out.”

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Old Friends To Celebrate Alphabet Soup’s 30th Birthday

Alphabet Soup, Old Friends retiree and currently the oldest living Breeders' Cup Classic winner (1996), will celebrate his 30th birthday on Wednesday March 31st.

Because of COVID restrictions, the facility can't host a big party to mark this milestone, but a small, socially distanced party is perfectly safe, with a few lucky friends. Will you be in the Lexington, KY, area on Wednesday, March 31st? Want to celebrate this momentous occasion with Alphabet Soup and his BFF Gorgeous George?

Send your info to the email address below for a chance to join the soiree. Once received, the team at Old Friends will draw 15 lucky guests from the entries and they will be invited to the party.

HOW TO ENTER

Send your name, address, email, and daytime phone number to barbara@oldfriendsequine.org by March 19, 2021; 15 names will be drawn and guests will be notified by March 21.

The party will be held at Old Friends Farm, 1841 Paynes Depot Rd., Georgetown, KY 40324, on Wednesday, Mary 31, from 12 to 3 p.m. Masks and social distancing rules will be strictly enforced.

Longtime Horse Racing Executive Tony Chamblin Passes

Tony Chamblin, a longtime horse racing industry executive and ambassador for the industry passed away peacefully Sunday at his home in Lexington, Ky. He was 81.

Chamblin played an instrumental role in the passage of the Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978 and the Pari-Mutual Licensing Simplification Act of 1988, and later became an early supporter of federal legislation intended to align U.S. equine medication policies with International standards

Chamblin served in a number of executive capacities during his nearly 50-year career in the horse racing industry while leaving a lasting legacy along the way.

As chief executive of the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) from 1965-1983, Chamblin oversaw the only horsemen's organization of its kind in North America. While headquartered near Washington, D.C., Chamblin played an instrumental role in the passage of the Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978, a bill that has generated billions of dollars in purse money for owners and trainers and racetrack operators over the past 42 years.

From 1983-86 and at the urging of local horsemen, Chamblin took the helm at Finger Lakes Racetrack in New York. Changes quickly ensued. The western New York oval became one of the first racetracks in the nation to introduce whole card simulcasting. Chamblin also introduced twilight racing and Pick Six wagering to Finger Lakes.

From 1986-2001, Chamblin served as the chief executive of the Association of Racing Commissioners' International (ARCI). During his time with the ARCI, the association completed a decades-long effort to establish a national multi-jurisdictional racing license for owners. The association also completely overhauled its model rules of racing, administered accreditation programs for stewards and judges, developed uniform totalizator standards that cleared the way for massive national simulcasting growth, instituted an accreditation program for drug testing laboratories, funded numerous drug testing research projects, and classified over 750 drugs into five categories. In 1993, Chamblin was honored by the ARCI with the William H. May Award for meritorious service to racing.

Along the way, Chamblin traveled the world promoting U.S. horse racing interests. His work took him to more than 100 racetracks in the United States and Canada. As an ambassador for racing Chamblin was asked to speak on the industry in the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Mexico, France, the Middle East, Australia, South America, South Africa and Russia, among other countries.

Anthony (Tony) Chamblin was born May 15, 1939, in Flora, Illinois. Chamblin graduated from Milliken University in Decatur, Ill., where he majored in English and lettered in football and tennis. In 1961, after graduating college at age 23, Chamblin became the youngest sports editor in the country of a paper with over 100,000 in circulation (Evansville Courier & Press). During his early career as a sports writer and editor Chamblin won the U.S. Basketball Writers award, U.S. Football Writers award, and wrote for Sports Illustrated and Newsweek. Chamblin has written and edited four books, and also wrote the History of Thoroughbred Racing for World Book Encyclopedia.

While in retirement, Chamblin was proud to advocate for the Water Hay Oats Alliance (WHOA), a grassroots movement supporting federal legislation to eliminate race-day medication and dedicated to changing negative public perceptions of the sport.

Chamblin also publicly endorsed the Horse Racing Integrity Act (HIA) the forerunner to the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) currently making its way through Congress.

Chamblin, who died of congestive heart failure, is survived by his wife of 31 years, Debbie; two daughters, Margaret McClintock (Tampa) and Kaitlin Chamblin (Lexington); a son, Keith (Lexington) and six grandchildren. A celebration of Chamblin's life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests any donations be made to Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm (www.oldfriendsequine.org).

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Two Inseparable Racehorses To Retire To Old Friends, Avoid Heartbreak

When Carl “Bunny” Meister Jr. and wife Linda sold their 133-acre Tarad Hill Farm in West Chester, PA, they were lucky enough to remain on the property as the new owners planned on building a home. However, two of the horses the Meister's had pensioned on the farm were unable to remain on the property: Bo's a Ten and Magic Weisner.

During her racing career, Bo's a Ten raced 43 times and won about $40,000. After retiring from racing, the mare had three foals for Marie Morrisson and was then sold to Theresa Groff. The mare was a cable jumper, but Groff decided she was more interested in riding outside of the arena; Groff moved the mare to Tarad Hill Farm to allow for more trail riding time.

Magic Weisner had a much more illustrious career, most notably finishing second to War Emblem in the 2002 Preakness Stakes and winning the Maryland Juvenile Championship in 2001. He then finished three-quarters of a length behind War Emblem in the Preakness and ran second to him again in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth. The gelding was trained by Nancy Alberts.

Plans to run Magic Weisner in the Pennsylvania Derby were derailed when he was diagnosed with West Nile Virus and retired to Tarad Hill Farm. Bo's a Ten, owned by Theresa Groff, joined the gelding five years ago, much to Magic Weisner's delight. The two horses became inseparable—so much so that Groff purchased a second horse to ride so Bo's a Ten didn't have to leave Magic Weisner behind while out on the trails.

When Tarad Hill went up for sale, Meister asked if he could have Bo's a Ten to ensure Magic Weisner's heart didn't break if they became separated. After a few phone calls to Michael Blowen, the fate of the two was sealed: both would ship to Georgetown, KY, in the summer of 2020 and live out their lives at Old Friends Farm.