Afton Farm new site for retirees

Old Friends, the proposed retirement farm for pensioned Thoroughbred stallions, has found a new location, at Afton Farm between Midway and Frankfort, Ky.

The operation's original site was near Interstate 64 in Midway, on acreage that would have been partially developed. "The amount of acreage that would have been available to us was shrinking," said Old Friends co-founder Michael Blowen.

Afton Farm owners Phillip and Betty Sue Walters have offered to lease their property on Georgetown Road, about 10 minutes outside of Midway, Blowen said.

The first resident at the Afton Farm location may be a French Group 1 winner named Creator, who currently stands in Japan. Creator finished third in the 1990 Budweiser International Handicap at Laurel.

"Last week, the Japanese accepted a $5,000 offer from us," Blowen said.

The next step is to raise funds to transport the 17-year-old stallion back to Kentucky.