Old Friends residents Kiri’s Clown, A.P. Slew euthanized due to colic

Grade 1 winner and pensioned stallion Kiri’s Clown was euthanized Monday due to complications from colic surgery at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky.

The death came a day after A.P. Slew was euthanized at Rood and Riddle following exploratory colic surgery. Both horses were residents of Old Friends Equine Retirement in Georgetown, Ky.

Kiri’s Clown, a 25-year-old son of Foolish Pleasure, was a standout on the turf, winning 15 of 62 starts during his career for earnings of $1,005,469. His career was highlighted by a win in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer Invitational, as well as the Grade 3 Knickerbocker Stakes and two runnings of the Grade 3 New Hampshire Sweepstakes Handicap. His Sword Dancer victory in 1995 came between a pair of runner-up efforts in the race, with additional Grade 1 placings in the 1995 and 1996 Manhattan Stakes.

Kiri’s Clown competed as a Florida homebred for Gardner Landon and Mary Sullivan’s Cobble View Stable, and he was trained throughout his career by Philip Johnson.

After his racing career, Kiri’s Clown was retired to Maple Heights Farm in Kentucky for the 1997 breeding season. He was moved to Feather Ridge Farm in Kentucky from 2001 to 2004, then finished his career at Three Way Farm in Illinois from 2005 to 2006. He was pensioned to Old Friends in August 2006.

Kiri’s Clown sired eight crops of racing age consisting of 73 foals and combined progeny earnings of $803,269. His runners were modest, led by Jester, a winner of 5 of 69 races for $183,600.

"I like all of our retirees, but there are a handful that I love. I loved Kiri," said Michael Blowen, founder of Old Friends. "I'll never forget the day he set the track record in the Sword Dancer at Saratoga in 1995 where I couldn't get a seat.”

A.P. Slew, a 15-year-old son of Geri, himself a late resident of Old Friends, won 3 of 56 starts for $88,994. He was initially campaigned as a Kentucky homebred by Allen Paulson, but was claimed for $20,000 and spent most of his career running for owner Blackjack Stable. He last raced in 2008 for Milton Rodriguez Jr.

The horse was to be entered in a slaughter auction in spring 2008, but was purchased by the Retirement Assistance and Care for Equines Fund in Pennsylvania prior to making the trip through the ring, with the help of the Paulson Living Trust. He arrived at Old Friends in June 2008.