Diversify beginning new chapter at Old Friends

Multiple Grade 1 winner Diversify will take up residence at Old Friends Equine Retirement in Georgetown, Ky. – but a return to his home state could later be in the cards for the New York-bred, as Old Friends founder Michael Blowen plans to continue expanding his nationally recognized Thoroughbred retirement organization.

Diversify, a 6-year-old Bellamy Road gelding campaigned by Ralph and Lauren Evans, was retired earlier this month due to a suspensory injury. The gelding scored Grade 1 victories in the 2017 Jockey Club Gold Cup and 2018 Whitney under the care of the late Rick Violette Jr., who died in October 2018. Diversify was transferred to trainer Jonathan Thomas, but never made a start for that barn. The gelding was working toward his 2019 debut when he exited a breeze with an injury.

"Michael Blowen and Mr. Evans got together and the decision was made for him to go to Old Friends and live out his life in the spotlight," Thomas said. "It's a tremendous facility, and Mr. Blowen has done incredible things with allowing fans to have access to these star horses. I think it's also really good for the horses. Diversify is a horse that loves attention and being acknowledged. This is the beginning of a new story for him."

Old Friends, which opened in 2003, has a satellite facility in Greenfield Center, N.Y., about 20 minutes from Saratoga Race Course. Officially known as Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, that facility, operated by JoAnn and Mark Pepper, is home to New York standouts including Travers Stakes winner Will's Way and Whitney winner Commentator. Blowen said he is exploring the possibility of opening a second New York satellite near Saratoga, which would be named in honor of Violette. Diversify, along with other New York-bred standouts currently housed at the Kentucky farm, could relocate back to their home state in order to headline the new facility.

"If we can get the money together, I would like to name the location after Rick Violette the way we named the farm in Greenfield Center at Cabin Creek after Bobby Frankel,” Blowen said. “Rick and I used to talk about aftercare all the time and he was an avid supporter of looking after horses when they were done racing. It would be an honor to name the new place after him. We already have King Kreesa, Lubash and Kharafa and of course Commentator. We have all these great New York-breds and it will be so great to show them off."