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Medina Spirit To Be Buried At Old Friends

Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement facility in Georgetown, KY., will inter the ashes of multiple graded stakes winner Medina Spirit on Tuesday, April 5. Medina Spirit will be laid to rest in Old Friends's Nikki Bacharach Memorial Garden alongside such champions as Kentucky Derby Winners Charismatic (1999) and War Emblem (2002), as well as Eclipse Winner Hidden Lake and Breeders' Cup Classic Winner Alphabet Soup. Old Friends will host an open house Tuesday, April 5, 2022 from 12:30pm to 2:30pm to offer fans an opportunity to visit the grave site and pay their respects to this great athlete. In addition, the farm will also pay tribute to friend and supporter Bob Neumeier, the acclaimed sports reporter and NBC racing analyst who passed away October 23, 2021.

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Shadwell Donates Six Pensioned Stallions to Old Friends

Six pensioned stallions from Shadwell Farm have been donated to Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement in Georgetown, Ky. Albertus Maximus, Kayrawan, Intidab, Mustanfar, Dumaani, and Swain were relocated in recent weeks from Shadwell's Nashwan Stud complex to the non-profit organization's farm, joining its 143 other residents, including 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness S. winner Silver Charm and Belmont S. winners Birdstone, Touch Gold and Sarava.

“We are so honored that Michael Blowen and his dedicated staff have elected to bring our retired stallions to Old Friends where they join an array of former superstars,” said Shadwell's Gregory Clarke. “In this wonderful facility, they will be available to the public where adoring fans can get up close and personal.”

Following the death of its founder, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in March of 2021, Shadwell has undergone a reorganization and downsizing of operations in both the U.S. and Europe. This restructuring has included relocating some stallions and selling a substantial number of its racing and breeding stock.

“We are flattered and privileged that Shadwell would trust us with their magnificent stallions,” said Old Friends President and founder Michael Blowen. “Their support, both financially and in their appreciation of the farm, speaks volumes about their generosity. We accept it as a great tribute to the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his irreplaceable legacy to Thoroughbred racing and breeding.”

The new residents are:

ALBERTUS MAXIMUS (18), by Old Friends retiree Albert the Great. Winner of the 2009 GI Donn H. and the 2008 GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, Albertus was retired from racing for stallion duty in 2012.

KAYRAWAN (30), a Shadwell homebred by Mr. Prospector, won the 1996 GII Tom Fool H. He has sired 52 winners, including stakes winner Dubai Sheikh and four stakes-placed runners.

INTIDAB (29), a Shadwell homebred by Phone Trick, was stakes-placed in England and Dubai before coming to the U.S. where he posted graded stakes wins in the GII A Phenomenon H. and the GII True North H.

MUSTANFAR (29), a Shadwell homebred who earned $625,010, won or placed in nine graded stakes, racing on dirt, turf, and synthetic surfaces. The son of Unbridled won the GIII Sycamore Breeders' Cup, the GIII Lexington S., and has sired winners on both dirt and turf.

DUMAANI (31), a Shadwell homebred, is a multiple graded stakes winner by Danzig. His victories include back-to-back editions of the GIII Keeneland Breeders' Cup Mile, which resulted in the Shadwell Turf Mile being sponsored, and run at Keeneland for over 25 years.

SWAIN (30), a son of Nashwan was a champion in both England and Ireland, also placed in two Breeders' Cup events: the 1996 Turf and the 1998 Classic.

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Medina Spirit to be Interred at Old Friends

Zedan Racing's Medina Spirit (Protonico), first across the wire in the 2021 GI Kentucky Derby but officially disqualified this week, will be laid to rest at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement farm near Georgetown, Kentucky. Old Friends made the announcement Friday morning. An open house, which will be open to the public, will be held Tuesday, Apr. 5, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Medina Spirit died Dec. 6 after a workout at Santa Anita. His ashes will be interred in Old Friends's Nikki Bacharach Memorial Garden.

“The Zedan Racing family was deeply saddened by the sudden loss of our beloved Medina Spirit,” said Amr Zedan of Zedan Racing. “He brought us great joy during his time, and we will forever cherish his spectacular win in the Kentucky Derby. Medina Spirit truly had the heart of a champion and it is very comforting to know that he will be laid to rest with many of racing's greats and the wonderful people at Old Friends Farm.”

Old Friends will place Medina Spirit's final resting place next to Kentucky Derby winners Charismatic and War Emblem, both of whom were pensioned to Old Friends at the conclusion of their breeding careers.

“Medina Spirit was loved deeply by us and everyone at the barn,” said Bob and Jill Baffert. “We grieve his loss, but take comfort knowing he will be buried among some of racing's all-time greats at Old Friends.”

Michael Blowen, the president and founder of Old Friends, added: “We're very grateful to Mr. Zedan and Bob Baffert for allowing us the honor and privilege of burying Medina Spirit's ashes at Old Friends. His gravestone, which will be a constant reminder of his spectacular achievements, will be placed next to Charismatic and War Emblem in the Nikki Bacharach Memorial Garden where his legion of fans can pay their respects.”

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Affirmed Success Euthanized at Old Friends

Affirmed Success (Affirmed–Towering Succes, by Irish Tower), a three-time Grade I winner at seven and eight furlongs and back-to-back winner of the GIII Poker H. on the turf, was euthanized Feb. 16 at Old Friends in Georgetown, Kentucky. He was 28 years old and according to attending veterinarians, was suffering from chronic hoof infections.

A homebred for Al Fried, Jr. and trained throughout by Rich Schosberg, Affirmed Success won the first three starts of his career and was third to Awesome Again in the 1997 GII Jim Dandy S., but made his name as a top-class sprinter/miler on the dirt, winning the GI Vosburgh S. and the GI Carter H. at seven furlongs and the GI Cigar Mile H. In his first of eight appearances on the turf, Affirmed Success won the first of his two Pokers in 2000 and was beaten a neck and two noses behind War Chant, North East Bound and Dansili (GB) in that year's GI Breeders' Cup Mile. He became the oldest winner of the GIII Toboggan H. at the age of eight in 2003. He retired with 17 wins overall from 42 career starts and earnings in excess of $2.2 million. Affirmed Success was originally retired to the Kentucky Horse Park and featured in the daily 'Parade of Breeds' show, but when soundness issues precluded his continued participation, he was transferred to Old Friends.

“He was such an incredible race horse, and he had such a great personality,” said Schosberg. “Beside his obvious talent, he had class, was brilliant, and was a joy to train. He always put in his best effort. And with his high cruising speed and running style he was exciting for the fans to watch, too.

“You think of a horse like that as the iron horse, as indestructible,” Schosberg added, “but being in this business my entire life, you know that day is going to come. But he had an incredible life. He had a great life on the track and an incredible life in his aftercare at Old Friends.”

“I like my horses the way I like my people, honest and hardworking, and Affirmed Success completely embodied that,” said jockey Richard Migliore, who rode Affirmed Success to four victories, including the 2002 Carter. “He was as hard-working and tenacious as any horse that I've ever been around, and I am happy to have been a small part of his history. I take comfort in knowing that he had a great twilight of his life.”

“He was one of my first horses, and he was a great champion,” said owner-breeder Al Fried, Jr. “I am so sorry to lose him.”

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