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GR1 Winner Bellamy Road Pensioned To Old Friends

Grade 1 winner and Grade 1 sire Bellamy Road has been pensioned to Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility based in Georgetown, KY. Michael Blowen, founder and President of Old Friends, made the announcement this morning.

A Florida-bred son of Concerto out of Hurry Home Hillary, Bellamy Road, now 19, retired from racing in 2007 following an illustrious career.

Owned by the late George Steinbrenner's Kinsman Stable and trained by Nick Zito, Bellamy Road broke his maiden in his first start at Delaware Park in 2004. He earned his first stakes next time out, capturing the GR3 Miller Genuine Draft Cradle Stakes at River Downs.

In 2005, he roared back as a 3-year-old setting a stakes record in the GR1 Wood Memorial, a race he won by a record 17 ½ lengths. The victory made him the odds-on favorite for that year's Kentucky Derby, where he finished 7th behind winner Giacomo.

His last start was the 2005 Travers at Saratoga, where he finished second to Flower Alley. Plagued by injuries, Bellamy Road retired that year with four wins from seven starts and earnings of $811,400.

Since 2016 Bellamy Road has stood at Dutchess Views Farm in Pine Plains, N.Y., He had previously stood at Kentucky's WinStar Farm and Hurricane Hall.

At stud Bellamy Road sired numerous stakes winners, including 2011 Wood Memorial winner Toby's Corner and the GR1 winning filly, Constellation.

His son, Diversify, GR1 Whitney Handicap winner and 2018 New York-bred Horse of the Year, also currently resides at Old Friends.

“Bellamy Road has always had a special place in my heart,” said Kinsman President Jessica Steinbrenner, daughter of George. “His Wood Memorial is the most exciting race that I have ever been to. I remember going back to the hotel afterward and being escorted through the kitchen because of all the people gathered outside. To this day, I still watch his Wood Memorial on YouTube, and to hear the announcer say 'a dazzling performance by a dazzling 3-year-old' brings me to tears every time.

“Bellamy is a rock star,” Steinbrenner continued. “He deserves a retirement where his fans can visit and reminisce. It's exciting to think he will be amongst the other great retired racehorses residing at Old Friends.”

“Jessica is following in her father's footsteps,” added trainer Nick Zito. “George would have done the same thing. They're very special people.”

“We were privileged that Kinsman, WinStar, and the other syndicate members sent Bellamy to us, and have allowed us to stand him in New York for so long,” said Dutchess Views Farm's Michael Lischin, on behalf of the Syndicate Manager, Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions LLC. “He is sound and could continue as a stallion but the consensus was that, at his age, it would be in his best interest to retire him to a magnificent facility like Old Friends while he is still healthy and happy. We thank the Syndicate and Old Friends for doing what was right for Bellamy Road.”

“We want to thank Jessica Steinbrenner for trusting us to care for her great horse,” said Old Friends's Blowen. “I know she went out of her way to make sure he'd get to us. Thanks also to Elliot Walden at WinStar who expedited everything, and to everyone at Dutchess Views for taking such great care of him.”

Hats Off To The Horses: Sale Of Afleet Accompli Chapeau Benefits Old Friends

For the 12th consecutive year, Maggie Mae Designs® and Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement have teamed up for an unparalleled online shopping experience: “Hats off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby”.

This unique fundraiser features one-of-a-kind couture hats created by Maggie Mae Designs®, the sale of which benefits Old Friends.

The first hat up for bid in our auction series, which kicks off Jan. 1, 2021, honors Afleet Accompli, a son of Northern Afleet who came to Old Friends via the sister aftercare organization Caribbean Thoroughbred Aftercare.

Bidding in this online auction will be available through January 11, 5:00 pm (EST). To bid, CLICK HERE.

Afleet Accompli spent most of his career running at Camarero Racecourse in Puerto Rico. The green and yellow racing silks of his Canito Racing racing stable inspired a tropical island palette for the trimmings of this stunning Derby-style hat.

A large hat foundation was created using stunning coral taffeta. Using yards of chocolate organza lined with coral organza, the wavy brim layers were topstitched with coral embroidered strands to reflect the rippling movement of the Thoroughbred athlete at full gallop.

To further showcase the stable's colors, a large rose curl, created in alternating layers of coral shantung and hot pink organza, adorns the front of the hat. This floral centerpiece is framed with leaves created out of lime green organza and taffeta.

A lime green taffeta sash lined with organza was fashioned to encircle the crown of the hat and a small peach button adorns the sash in the back.

As always, a physical remembrance, several strands of Afleet Accompli's tail hair, were braided and woven into the trim of the hat.

Bidding is open now. To bid CLICK HERE.

To see more photos and read more about the stunning new hat CLICK HERE.

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Old Friends: Whitney, Travers Winner Will’s Way Passes At Age 27

Will's Way, winner of the 1997 Whitney Handicap and 1996 Travers Stakes, died Dec. 24 at Old Friends at Cabin Creek in Greenfield Center, NY.

Euthanized due to declining health, the son of Easy Goer out of the Tentam mare Willamae was 27.

Will's Way was among the flagship stallions retired to Old Friends, the non-profit Thoroughbred Retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky. After a few seasons in Kentucky, Will was transferred to Cabin Creek, the organization's satellite facility just outside Saratoga where he was often greeted by his many adoring New York fans.

Campaigned by trainer James H. Bond for owners Rudlein Stables, Will had a relatively short but spectacular career on the race track. After breaking his maiden at Gulfstream Park first time out in 1996, he went on to capture the G1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga, prevailing over Preakness winner Louis Quatorze and the great Skip Away.

In 1997 Will took the G1 Whitney Handicap, again at Saratoga, over Formal Gold, with Skip Away finishing third. The top two finishers each earned extraordinary 126 Beyer Speed Figures.

In his career, Will's Way won or placed in 11 of 13 races and retired with earnings of $954,400. His greatest son, Lion Tamer, won the G1 Cigar Mile Handicap in 2004.

“We all loved him so much,” said Joann Pepper, owner and manager of Cabin Creek. “He would take our breath away when he decided to run. I will miss brushing his tail and kissing his star—I'll even miss letting him chew on me,” Pepper added, referring to Will's sometimes cantankerous personality. “It was such an honor to care for him.”

“He was such an exciting racehorse, and we were so thrilled to have him with us first in Kentucky and then in New York,” said Old Friends founder and president Michael Blowen. “Our heart goes out to our friends at Cabin Creek. Joann and Will had a very special bond, and we know he will be sorely missed by everyone there.”

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‘Lovable Loser’ Zippy Chippy Still Winning Over Fans At Old Friends At Cabin Creek

As Zippy Chippy nears his 30thbirthday, fans of the lovable loser will be reassured to know he has not lost a step. Then again, he never had a step to lose.

The oh-so-slow bay gelding has been retired for the last 10 years at Old Friends at Cabin Creek in Greenfield Center, N.Y., where the infamy of falling short in all 100 of his starts has given way to fame.

Before the pandemic, scores of visitors wanted to spend time with Zippy Chippy, to get a glimpse of the horse that sometimes stood still while opponents charged from the starting gate. On other occasions, he would attempt to nip at rivals as they sped by. Such antics allowed him to make People magazine's list of the Most Interesting Personalities in 2000.

Foaled in 1991, the son of Compliance endured the ignominy of being acquired by owner and trainer Felix Monserrate in 1995 in exchange for a seven-year-old Ford truck. He performed so poorly that he was banned from numerous tracks that included Finger Lakes, which banished him after he failed to break with the rest of the field for the third consecutive start in racing's version of “three strikes and you're out.”

Monserrate retired Zippy Chippy in December, 2004, approximately three months after the horse hit the century mark in defeats in a race at Northampton Fair in Northampton, Mass. Fittingly, he finished last.

After a stint as a pony for an outrider at, of all places, Finger Lakes, Zippy Chippy ultimately made his way to the division of Old Friends named for Bobby Frankel, the late Hall of Fame trainer, in upstate New York. It is there that he found a soulmate in Red Down South, a chestnut New York-bred gelding. And it is there that he enjoys rock-star status.

Feed time for Zippy Chippy (right) and Red Down South

“He's brought so many people here and made them aware of how long horses live and all of their needs,” said JoAnn Pepper, who oversees the 40-acre retirement facility.

Like racing itself, celebrity did not come easily to Zippy Chippy. As part of its grand opening a decade ago, Old Friends at Cabin Creek set up a winner's circle with the idea that he would parade around the enclosure to the delight of fans who never saw that happen in reality.

This went as badly as many of his races.

As soon as Zippy Chippy and Red Down South were separated from the paddock that only the two of them share, trouble began.

“He was about 20 feet away from Red and they both went crazy not being together for 10 minutes,” Pepper said. “We had to put Zippy back in the paddock. That was after he kicked over the (winner's circle) sign and threw a fit. He hated every minute of it.”

Zippy Chippy celebrating his birthday

Zippy Chippy got loose approximately eight years ago. Not surprisingly, he did not run far. He was breathing heavily at the end.

“Maybe that was part of it, that he couldn't breathe as good as he should have while he was racing,” Pepper suggested.

There is no reason to think Zippy Chippy will run anywhere any time soon. To be sure, he goes at his own sluggish pace. Red Down South, only somewhat faster as a winner of two of 32 starts, has been known to bring his hay to him. When it rains, Red will force his best buddy to seek nearby shelter with him. In other instances, he will put pressure on him to walk, perhaps sensing that his roommate is 10 years older and will benefit from light exercise.

Zippy Chippy will make his way to the paddock fence, but do not come empty handed. “It's all about the candy,” Pepper said. “He eats a lot of candy for his age, but he seems fine with it.”

He will tolerate picture-takers. Well, somewhat. He often sticks out his tongue.

There is something about Zippy Chippy in retirement that makes him as endearing off the track as he was on it. Rosanne Frieri, 68, a professional photographer from Richmond, Mass., cannot get enough of him.

“There is something about an underdog. I migrate toward them,” said Frieri. “When I found out about Zippy Chippy with his record, I fell in love with him.”

She donates $100 per month to aid in his care. She delivered knitted Christmas stockings for Zippy and Red (“I didn't want either one to feel left out.”) She hopes to be able to safely hold a Kentucky Derby party to benefit Old Friends.

“I just love going up there,” Frieri said. “I love petting him and talking to him.”

Zippy Chipp (left) and Red Down South often express displeasure at photographers

Two authors found him equally captivating. Humorist William Thomas wrote “The Legend of Zippy Chippy: Life Lessons from Horse Racing's Most Lovable Loser.” Artie Bennett wrote a children's book illustrated by David Szalay: “The True Story of Zippy Chippy: The Little Horse That Couldn't.”

Bennett was enthralled by the horse that couldn't as soon as he heard the name. “It's like straight out of a nursery rhyme – Zippy Chippy,” he said.

He views Zippy Chippy's career as an inspiring tale for his impressionable audience.

“Children can learn from that, the importance of trying,” he said. “They can learn to give things their best shot, and not everyone can excel at everything. We mustn't let fear of failure keep us from trying new things.”

As Zippy Chippy relishes the idyllic setting that is home, as he takes comfort in Red's company, perhaps he reminds stressed-out adults of the value of taking life at a gentler pace.

Tom Pedulla wrote for USA Today from 1995-2012 and has been a contributor to the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Blood-Horse, America's Best Racing and other publications.

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