Kiri’s Clown at Old Friends. Photo by Rick Capone.
GEORGETOWN, KY – DECEMBER 23, 2014 – Millionaire and grade 1 winner Kiri’s Clown has died. The 25-year-old stallion, who had been pensioned at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, KY since 2006, was euthanized December 22 at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital due to complications following colic surgery. A full necropsy is pending.
Michael Blowen, founder and president of Old Friends, made the sorrowful announcement this morning.
The son of Kentucky Derby Champion Foolish Pleasure, out of the Kris mare Kiri, Kiri’s Clown was one of Old Friends’s flagship retirees. He was donated to the farm by owners Bob and Mary Sullivan and was soon paddocked next to his old track rival Awad. The two faced off in several editions of the grade 1 Sword Dancer with Kiri’s Clown claiming victory by a neck in 1995 when he set a track record on the Saratoga Oval.
Trained by Phil Johnson and ridden by Mike Luzzi, Jean Cruguet and others, Kiri’s Clown raced for six seasons. His wins include the grade 3 Knickerbocker Handicap at Aqueduct as well as back-to-back editions of the grade 3 New Hampshire Sweepstakes at Rockingham Park in 1994 and 1995, where he set a course record each time.
In 62 starts the dark bay stallion had 16 wins and careers earnings of $1,005,469.
Kiri’s Clown stood stud for nine seasons at various farms in Kentucky before retiring from the breeding shed in 2006. His daughter, Foolish Gal, produced the grade 1 winner Get Stormy.
“I like all of our retirees, but there are a handful that I love. I loved Kiri,” said Blowen. “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.
“He was very intelligent and had the good fortune to be bred, raced, owned and retired by Mary Sullivan,” Blowen added. “We appreciate Dr. Scott Hooper and everyone at Rood and Riddle for doing their best to extend Kiri’s quality of life.”
For additional information, contact Old Friends at (502) 863-1775.
About Old Friends
Old Friends is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that cares for more than 110 retired racehorses. Its Dream Chase Farm, located in Georgetown, KY, is open to tourists daily by appointment. Old Friends also has a satellite facility in Greenfield Center, New York, Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, which is also open to visitors. For more information on tours or to make a donation, contact the main farm at (502) 863-1775 or see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org.
MEDIA CONTACT: Cynthia Grisolia, (347) 423-7322, cindy@oldfriendsequine.org or Michael Blowen, (502) 863-1775, michael@oldfriendsequine.org