At a sanctuary for retired race horses, ex-Derby winner Silver Charm soaks up the good life

Ever wondered what happens to Kentucky Derby horses after they retire from racing? Some lucky ones, like Silver Charm here, end up at a luxurious facility for thorough bred horses called Old Friends in Kentucky.

Founded by former Boston Globe movie critic and columnist Michael Blowen about 20 years ago, Old Friends is a place where retired Derby horses find peace, tranquility and lots of friends. It is located in Georgetown, Kentucky about 70 miles east from Churchill Downs, the venue of the Kentucky Derby .

Blowen set up the sanctuary for retired horses about 20 years ago, President and CEO John Nicholson told USA TODAY.

"Upon retirement he [Michael] decided that he wanted to give a home to give a sanctuary to retired thoroughbred horses," Nicholson said. "And so, he came to Kentucky with his wife Diane and started just with a couple of paddocks that he leased from some friends and a few donations with some feed and a golf cart to help.

And that grew into what is now three farms, actually four farms," added Nicholson.

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Old Friends now cares for about 250 retired thoroughbred horses, including Silver Charm. Nicholson said that the facility has had "tremendous fortune," and the retired horses seem to thrive at Old Friends.

"They come here, they relax," Nicholson said. "They are not as perhaps fierce as they once were, and they are wonderful with the public and they seem to just adapt to our tranquility and serenity that we set up. We have a mantra and an ingrained philosophy and culture here that we believe these horses have given us a great deal of themselves and have given us a great deal of happiness as they have performed as outstanding athletes.

He added: "So, we feel that we owe it to them to give them a really, really comfortable retirement."

Who is Silver Charm?

Silver Charm is the oldest living Kentucky Derby winner, according to Nicholson. The thoroughbred horse, who Nicholson said is "very special" is also the winner of the Preakness and finished second in the Belmont. He was close to becoming a Triple Crown winner back in 1997 but was beaten by Touch Gold, who also resides at Old Friends just a couple of paddocks down from Silver Charm. What's even more interesting is that the two racing horses share birthdays and recently celebrated their 30th birthday this February.

While Silver Charm is 30 years old in human years, having been born in 1994, in horse years, he is 97 years old, as per Nicholson. But age is just a number for Silver Charm because Nicholson said that he's in "great shape and feels good."

"He doesn't have as many teeth as he used to, but that's okay," Nicholson said. "He's carrying his weight well and [is doing] great."

Silver Charm also went on to win the prestigious Dubai Cup in 1998 as well as several other racing events before heading to Japan, where he served as a stud, helping "increase the value of the thoroughbred racing stock" there.

'Equine version of Muhammad Ali'

Silver Charm was inducted into the Thoroughbred Hall of Fame in 2007. Upon his retirement, his owners Bob and Beverly Lewis sent him to another farm in Kentucky, but he came to Old Friends in 2012, according to his bio page , marking "an auspicious [and] historic day" for the facility.

"It was a day of great celebration in the thoroughbred racing world because one of our great champions was coming home," Nicholson said. "He's been kind of our ambassador. He's kind of our 'spokeshorse,' and I think the leading symbol of the pillar that thoroughbred aftercare has become within our industry."

Nicholson said that Silver Charm has also become the face of the effort behind caring for racing horses after they retire, likening him to Muhammad Ali.

"In a sense, he's kind of like the equine version of Muhammad Ali in that he was really a great athlete, but he used his platform as an athlete to do even greater, more profound things with his life," Nicholson said about Silver Charm.

On how Silver Charm spends his days now, Nicholson said that the equine resides in a nice and "somewhat luxurious stall," and follows a special diet given his age. However, he's out every day, spending time with hundreds of people, taking pictures with them and basking in all the adoration and attention.

"He loves being a celebrity and he knows he's special," Nicholson said.

Old Friends is a popular spot for tourists and horse racing fans alike, especially because it is located in the heart of "thoroughbred country in central Kentucky," said Nicholson. Tens of thousands of visitors visit the facility each year to see the horses that have cumulatively won over $300 million and are some of the greatest champions of all times.

"We celebrate not only the fact that we can give these horses a comfortable retirement and we love to celebrate their individual achievements, but we also celebrate the sport of thoroughbred racing and its heritage," Nicholson said.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: At a sanctuary for retired race horses, ex-Derby winner Silver Charm soaks up the good life