Tag Archives: Mixed Pleasure

Community/Charity

7th Annual “Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby” Continues with the Mixed Pleasure Chapeau

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Julien Leparoux, Shea Leparoux and baby Mitchell (Photo by EquiSport)

Proceeds from the online fashion auction to benefit Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Facility

GEORGETOWN, KY – DECEMBER 7, 2015 – The online fashion auction “Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby” continues with a second beautiful Derby chapeau going on the virtual auction block to raise money for Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, KY.

This new hat pays tribute to Old Friends retiree Mixed Pleasure. Best known as the oldest living descendant of the great Seabiscuit, Mixy passed away at age 30 in October.

The hat crafted in his honor will be showcased by Shea Leparoux, her husband, leading jockey Julien Leparoux, and their baby son, Mitchell, and will be up for bid through December 14th.

This is the seventh consecutive year that Old Friends has joined with acclaimed milliner Sally Faith Steinmann of the Massachusetts-based Maggie Mae Designs® to auction off six handcrafted Kentucky Derby-style hats between November and April, each inspired by one of the non-profit organization’s 155 retired racehorses. Steinmann’s works of millinery art have raised more than $25,000 for Old Friends.

The Mixed Pleasure chapeau was fashioned as a flat, wide-brim design using chestnut dupioni silk for the foundation. A large Marguerite, sculpted out of several shades of yellow organza, adorns the front of the hat. The center of the Marguerite is a rose curl in royal blue silk organza with a beaded center created out of shimmering royal blue seed beads.

Dozens of long slender blue and yellow silk organza “feathers”, a Maggie Mae Designs® trademark, were carefully stitched, layered and then shaped to cradle the Marguerite. Lastly, a yellow taffeta under brim creates a vibrant, colorful effect when upturned against the wearer’s face.

As a physical remembrance of Mixed Pleasure, several strands of his tail hair were also braided and woven into the trim of the hat.

For additional photos and to read more, click here: http://www.maggiemae.com/OldFriendsAuction-Horse-MixedPleasure.htm.

Bidding on the Mixed Pleasure began at 8 pm on December 4th and will be open for 10 days only until 8pm on December 14th. Interested bidders can go to the Old Friends website at www.oldfriendsequine.org and follow the link.

The photo shoots for each hat, done by EquiSport Photographers Matt and Wendy Wooley, took place this fall at Old Friends and matches Steinmann’s beautiful hats with ensembles from Lexington’s Bella Rose Boutique. For a video of Shea and Julien’s photo shoot, click here: http://vimeo.com/147510596.

Maggie Mae Designs® Custom Millinery offers magnificent hats for all occasions – from glamorous racing events such as the Kentucky Derby and the Royal Ascot to stunning bridal wear and handsome cocktail fashions. Every hat is carefully handcrafted by milliner Sally Faith Steinmann from her home base in South Harwich, MA. Salons of her fashions can be seen on her website at www.maggiemaedesigns.com.

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; Maggie Mae Designs (508) 430-1626, sally@maggiemae.com

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Graded Stakes Placed Mixed Pleasure Euthanized at Old Friends

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Mixed Pleasure with Old Friends Volunteer John Bradley (Photo by Laura Battles)

GEORGETOWN, KY – OCTOBER 27, 2015 – Mixed Pleasure has died. The 30-year-old resident of Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Farm in Georgetown, KY, was euthanized Monday evening due to complications from colic.

Michael Blowen, founder and president of Old Friends, made the announcement of his passing this afternoon.

Mixed Pleasure, who was a great-great grandson of the great Seabiscuit, had been pensioned at Old Friends since 2012 after being saved by Charlotte Farmer and the nationwide advocacy group Equi-Army-NDO.com. The stallion had stood at Grand Trine Farm in Molalla, OR, and was one of 14 horses seized by the rescue group when former owners attempted to place them for sale in an auction.

A moderately successful racehorse, Mixed Pleasure (Sucha Pleasure – Sea I’m Lucky, Windy Sea) was campaigned by Mel Stute and won five of his 22 starts, earning over $140,000 in his career. As a two-year-old Mixed Pleasure captured the Won Ford Juvenile Stakes as well as the Kindergarten Stakes. He then place second in the GR2 Hollywood Juvenile Championship Stakes and was third in the GR3 Balboa.

His dam, Sea I’m Lucky, was by Windy Sea, who was out of Sea Anemone, a daughter of Seabiscuit. Mixed Pleasure was presumed to be the oldest living descendant of the Depression-Era hero.

“It’s always heartbreaking to lose one of our horses,” said Old Friends’s Blowen. “But at the time of his death Mixed Pleasure was surrounded by those who loved him most. Our vet Bryan Waldridge was here to help him, as were our farm managers Tim Wilson and Carol Oates. Most importantly, Mixy spent his last moments with his best friend, John Bradley, one of our dedicated volunteers who was Mixed Pleasure’s friend and caretaker these last three years.”

“Mixed Pleasure was one of the kindest and easy going stallions we’ve ever had,” Blowen added, “and he will be sorely missed.”

For additional information, contact Old Friends at (502) 863-1775.

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; Michael Blowen, (502) 863-1775, michael@oldfriendsequine.org