Michael Blowen, founder of Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farms with Game On Dude, Little Mike, Soi Phet and Hogy. Filmed by Mary Greene. Please consider making a donation to Old Friends at www.oldfriendsequine.org to support our over 200 thoroughbred retirees.
Game On Dude:
Game On Dude is only horse to win three runnings of the Santa Anita Handicap (G1). His list of triumphal repeats also includes two Hollywood Gold Cups (G1) and two San Antonio Stakes (G2). In his six year old campaign in 2013 “the Dude” captured all three of California’s most coveted Grade 1 stakes, the “Big Cap,” the Hollywood Gold Cup and the Pacific Classic. At seven his Santa Anita Handicap time nearly equaled the 1:58 set in 1980 by Spectacular Bid. He retired with nearly $6.5 million. In order, Game On Dude’s wins are: 2010 Lone Star Derby (G3). 2011 Santa Anita H (G1) and Goodwood S (G1). 2012 Hollywood Gold Cup (G1), the Awesome Again S (G1)-doing his sire proud, the San Antonio S (G2), California S (G2) and Native Diver S (G3). In 2013, the Santa Anita H (G1), Hollywood Gold Cup (G1), Pacific Classic (G1), San Antonio (G2) and Charles Town Classic (G2), and in 2014 the Santa Anita H (G1). In 34 starts, that’s 16 wins, 7 seconds and 1 third for a total of $6,498,893. Owned by Diamond Pride LLC, Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable LLC and Bernard Schiappa, Game On Dude’s jockeys in his most prestigious wins were Chantal Sutherland Kruse, Martin Garcia and Mike Smith. Old Friends gratefully acknowledges the generosity of Game On Dude’s Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and Jill Baffert, who enabled his retirement to us.
Little Mike:
The 2012 Breeders’ Cup Turf and Arlington Million winner was 2nd ranked by earnings in North America that year, out-earning even Wise Dan. Bred in Florida by Carlo Vaccarezza, owned by Priscilla Vaccarezza, and trained for most of his career by Dale Romans, he won the 2011 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes (G3), Canadian Turf Stakes(G3)-in which future Old Friends retiree Yankee Fourtune ran third-and the Emirates Airlines Appleton Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park with Joe Bravo in the saddle. In 2012 he took the Florida Sunshine Millions Turf and repeated his Canadian Turf Stakes wins. Little Mike won the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve at Churchill under Joe Bravo, and that summer captured the Arlington Million (G1) wire to wire with Ramon Dominguez up. He crowned a spectacular year with the Breeders’ Cup Turf(G1), again with Ramon Dominguez. The 2013 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) at Belmont belonged to a partnership of two of the greatest Mikes in racing, Little Mike and Mike Smith. In 2014, conditioned by Carlo Vaccarezza, Little Mike won the Flying Pidgeon Stakes, with Elvis Trujilo up. A 2016 comeback was mooted, but when the Vaccarezzas determined that his best interests were served by retirement, they generously donated Little Mike to Old Friends. Little Mike had a whopping 14 wins out of 30 starts and earnings of $3,543,392.
Soi Phet:
On May 23, 2013 Gerald and Sandra Benowitz, Mathilde Powell and Paul A. Viskovich claimed a five year old gelding names Soi Phet for $16,000. In the hands of trainer Leonard Powell the horse bloomed. He won the 2014 Bertrando Stakes and Los Alamitos Mile, the 2016 McCann's Mojave Handicap, Harry F. Brubaker Stakes, the 2016 and 2017 E. B. Johnston Stakes, the 2018 Crystal Water Stakes and Bertrando Stakes. Soi Phet’s 2018 Crystal Waters victory at 10 made him the oldest stakes winner in Santa Anita history. That Fourth of July, Leonard Powell tweeted, “We believe Soi Phet is following the American Dream where nothing can not be done, with work and perseverance. We can't summarize what he has accomplished for us. Thank you Soi Phet. I will like to believe that some of those fireworks will be for you today.” Soi Phet retired with $1,023,917 earnings in 64 races with 15 wins, 7 seconds and 6 thirds.
Hogy:
Bred by Dr. John E. Little in Kentucky, Hogy (Offlee Wild -Floy, by Petionvillle), finishes his seven-year career with 55 starts and 19 wins and earnings of $1,339,782. The near-black gelding launched his career at Arlington Park in 2011 capturing his first three starts, including the Brian Barenscheer Juvenile Stakes at Canterbury Park. He earned his first graded stakes in 2013 in the grade 3 Hanshin Cup Stakes, again at Arlington. In 2017 he set a track record for 5½ furlongs in the Colonel Power Stakes at Fair Grounds, while defeating Old Friends retiree-and that day's 4-5 favorite-Green Mask. Claimed from owner William Stiritz and trainer Scott Becker for $80,000 in 2017 following three straight losses, Hogy quickly earned his keep for new owner Michael Hui and trainer Mike Maker when he took the grade 3 Kentucky Turf Sprint, defeating Undrafted in the process. After a defeat in the grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar, he captured the grade Canadian Turf Stakes at Gulfstream.
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