A day in the life of retired Kentucky Derby horses at Georgetown’s Old Friends farm

GEORGETOWN, Ky. ( FOX 56 ) — In 150 years, horse racing fans have seen thousands of 3-year-old colts run in the Kentucky Derby, but the bottom line is that these celebrated stallions spend most of their lives not racing.

A dirt track eventually becomes a grassy field, and at Old Friends in Georgetown, the only competition is for founder Michael Blowen’s carrots.

Blowen started the thoroughbred retirement facility in 2003 with a leased paddock and one horse. In two decades, it has expanded to more than 200 acres and has had four Kentucky Derby winners call it home.

In March, the farm welcomed 2012 Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another, but Blowen said that after years of a rigorous routine, the transition to tranquility takes time.

“These horses have been told what to do their entire lives, and now it’s time for them to tell us what they want,” Blowen said. “We’re restoring their life as a horse.”

Each day starts with a fatty breakfast, followed by supplements of some sort at noon, and another meal in the early evening. As for the rest of the day, it’s spent horsin’ around and maybe includes a nap or two.

“I’d like to say that we’ve never had an unhappy horse here,” Blowen said.

Every horse at Old Friends is treated equally, but Blowen admitted he gives extra attention to his equine idol, Silver Charm, who won the Kentucky Derby in 1997. Before retiring, the Hall of Fame horse had a decorated four-year racing career and several successful years as a stud.

“The simple but accurate answer is, like humans, they retire when they can’t generate income anymore,” Blowen said.

Silver Charm now greets nearly 15,000 visitors annually. Blowen said he’s quite charming with his fans, but even after 10 years at the farm, there are two things he’s not a fan of: cars at night and getting patted on the head.

Each big name also helps the racehorses who never saw the inside of a winner’s circle enjoy a peaceful retirement.

“People look at them, and they say, ‘They must get bored just sitting out there eating hay all the time,'” Blowen said. “But I don’t think they get bored doing it at all. That’s what they were meant to do. That’s what they were bred to do. That’s what they like doing.”

Old Friends welcomes equine enthusiasts year-round and offers a variety of guided tours. To plan your trip, visit oldfriendsequine.org/visit for more information.

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