A Haven For Retired Champions

(CBS)  Odds are that most racing fans have forgotten about Ruhlmann — even though in 1990, more than 100,000 people saw him win a million dollars at Santa Anita. He's past his prime now, but having the time of his life, retired in Kentucky at age 22.

"We have an understanding, but it took me a long time to get the understanding," Michael Blowen, who runs a retirement home for thoroughbreds called Old Friends, told CBS News correspondent Richard Schlesinger.

What's the understanding?

"Well, it's that he's the boss," Blowen said.

Blowen has quite a collection of old friends at Old Friends. Swan's Way raced 81 times when he was younger. He's slowed down a little at 17 years old.

"He's the only one I can beat," Blowen said. "When I wake up in the morning, I see these wonderful great champions in my backyard. I think it's like having Larry Bird or Michael Jordan here."

Blowen used to be a movie reviewer in Boston. But he owned a few horses; raced one and learned a lot about the business — especially the dark side.

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FYI: Find out more about the retired champions, including how to help

Only On The Web: More with Old Friends' Michael Blowen

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He saw horses that were too old or too injured to race or to breed sent off to slaughterhouses.

It even happened to Ferdinand, who won the 1986 Kentucky Derby and ended up being killed 16 years later when he stopped making money for his owners.

"Everybody who was ever around this horse said this was the kindest, nicest, sweetest horse anyone was ever around — and that's what happened to him," Blowen said.

When Blowen heard about Ferdinand, he decided he had to rescue as many other horses as possible.

These may be some of the luckiest horses in the thoroughbred world. Blowen can only take care for only 30 through his organization, and there are only 20 groups like his in the country. That's not a lot — considering that in one year, more than 36,000 thoroughbreds were born.

Old Friends relies mostly on donations to rescue and maintain the horses. Some owners pay the roughly $2,300 per year for their horse's retirement, but just a handful. Too many of them sell the horses to slaughterhouses for up to $1,000.

"If you can't look at this animal and see something spectacular, if you're just looking at this horse as an economic commodity, then they should be racing cars and not horses," Blowen said.

The horses at Old Friends still attract a crowd, even though their moneymaking days are behind them.

Busloads of people come to Old Friends to see them, admire them and learn from Blowen that horses like Sunshine Forever, once worth $20 million and then almost slaughtered, still have great value — even though they're not worth much money.

[boston1954]

Quite a few of you have taken the time to thank Katie Couric. How about some thanks to that great journalist Richard Schlesinger, who went out to Kentucky and brought back the story.

[dlp356]

Thank you for the great story on Old Friends. I was glad Michael mentioned about the slaughter of American horses. It is horrible that our horses are being sent to slaughter houses for meat in other countries. We need to stop this appalling practice. Hats off to Michael and all who rescue these magnificent animals.

[debandterry]

Thank you Katie! People need to understand what happens to the horses once they can't win races anymore. This great nation as it well within our ability to care for these animals, that we are responsible for. Keep up the good work!

[boxwood777]

Thanks to all of you at CBS on this story about a great horse rescue/retirement facility. Too many people are still not aware of what happens to non-competitive racehorses, not only Thoroughbreds, but also Standardbreds. No breed of equine is exempt from this cruel end if they end up in the wrong hands. Please consider doing a follow up and letting people know they can ask their Congress people and Senators to vote on bills currently in the House and Senate to end this barbaric practice of horse slaughter. Action needs to be taken now. It would also be helpful to include some links to other rescues in the country. This one includes quite a few:
http://horsewelfare.8k.com/
Again thank you,
Lorraine @ Horse Lovers United, Inc.

[litf1]

Enjoyed that heartwarming story about "Old Friends" Michael is such a great friend to these wonderful animals.Is this not a great wake up call to the masses to ban slaughter? How can ANY human being participate in this barbaric practice? These horses are loving and innocent and belong in our world and our life. Thank you CBS and Katie for showing such an important segment. Jane Nicoletti

[mscarter1]

I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF STAYING OVERNIGHT AT OLD FRIENDS THIS PAST MARCH. THB BLOWENS ARE A REMARKABLE COUPLE. THEY HOME AN ASSORMENT OF CATS IN ADDITION TO THE CHAMPION HORSES. ONE OF WHICH WAS RECUPERATING AT THE TIME FROM SURGERY DUE TO AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING A CAR. NOT THEIR CAT BUT WHILE I CAN'T RECALL THE DETAILS, THEY WERE CALLED UPON AND MADE AWARE OF THE CAT, WHO RECEIVED FULL REST AND CARE BY THE BLOWENS. OLD FRIENDS IS A HAVEN FOR THE HORSES AND HEAVEN FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM. WHILE I WAS THERE, UPON WAKING UP AND GRABBING COFFEE DOWNSTAIRS, I WAS ABLE TO WALK OUTSIDE WATCH THE NEW DAY'S BEGINNING AND TOUCH AND SEE THE MAGNIFICENT HORSES. VISIT AND DONATE WHENEVER POSSIBLE. THE MONEY WILL BE USED APPROPRIATELY. YOU SHOULD SEE THEM IN THE EVEINGS IN THE KITCHEN CUTTING UP THE CARROTS FOR THE HORSES FOR THE NEXT DAY! ONE LAST NOTE BARBARO'S INJURY BROUGHT ME TO ALEX BROWN at www.timwoolleyracing.comWHERE THE FAN OF BARBARO RESIDE AND ARE MAKING A DIFFRENCE THROUGH HORSE SLAUTHER AWARENESS AND HORSE RESCUE AWARENESS. THAT'S HOW I FOUND OLD FRIENDS

[wimseysecho]

Racing makes millions annually on the backs of animals who never know the pleasures they should; a pasture, the company of other horses (by nature, horses are very social animals).
Too few end up in good homes. I have four of them. One ran 72 races in a six year career (many on an arthritic ankle - now permanently fused). She was rescued off a meat truck. I bought one (beautiful, well bred) to keep from auction. Lean body types are not favored there - she may have headed to the slaughterhouse had I not bought her. Two came from Communication Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorses (CANTER). All we know of one is at some point in his career he was abused. He is still optimistic and hopes every hand that comes near holds a treat. The other is grandson to both Seattle Slew (Triple Crown winner) and Alydar (second place in 3 Triple Crown races). He is sane, good natured, spent more than 8 years on the track, but we think he was treated well. Both horses were rescued from a neglect situation.
I run tack shop. I believe every business has an ethical obligation to help support that which neccessitates the business. My store supports a local horse rescue and CANTER's New England chapter. Humans have a moral responsibility to help rectify any suffering we help create.
CANTER's web site is www.canterusa.org, and there are others, including Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation www.trfinc.org.

[swedishkat]

THANK YOU CBS for highlighting Old Friends and bringing awerness to horse slaughter and the many options of what a responsible horse owner can do with a horse that needs to retire from racing. Maybe a segment on The Exceller Fund (www.excellerfund.org) would be the next step?...CBS is the first news network to bring light to these issues, and all horse lovers and horses are GRATEFUL, now let's see if other networks will follow!!

[wimseysecho]

Nice story, woderful man. One major omission was the fact that Ferdinand wound up on dinner plates in Japan, where it was considered a great delicacy to eat a slice of a champion.
The race industry is a web woven of contradiction. There is the glorification of physical strength set against the backdrop of the many who don't make the cut, and another strand of the fact that these young horses are asked to accomplish feats of miraculous athletic prowess long before their bones have been completely formed. In other equestrian sports, nobody would ever think of asking a juvenile horse to work so hard, or even carry a rider, before the animal had grown closer to adulthood.
There are numerous racehorse rescues out there, all deserving of all the help, support and publicity they can get. Perhaps the sad plight of Barbaro will finally focus some attention on the dark side of the Thoroughbred racing industry and help find a few more happy endings for some very deserving horses. These animals are innocent pawns in a big money game.

[redpanda03]

Thank you CBS for a wonderful and uplifting article about horses and manking and compassion.
You may have been the first to actually talk about the fate of these magnificent creatures than can end up at the slaughter house. This is a first for evening news. Youy have the love and support of the (((Barbaro))) Nations Please continue focusing on such centers and the men and women rescuing our equines.
A one of interest:
http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/_national/wild_mustangs/