Stakes Winner Afternoon Deelites Arrives at Old Friends

GEORGETOWN, KY — MAY 24, 2011 — On Sunday Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Georgetown, KY, happily welcomed GR1-winner and top sire Afternoon Deelites.  The 19-year-old son of Private Terms will be permanently pensioned at the farm alongside one of his sons, 12-year-old Popcorn Deelites.

He was donated to the organization by Val Murrell’s Clear Creek Stud in Folsom, LA where he was retired from stallion duty earlier this year.

Bred and raced by Burt Bacharach’s Blue Seas Music, Afternoon Deelites hit the ground running as a 2-year-old, capturing his first three starts, including the GR1 Hollywood Futurity and the GR3 Hollywood Preview Breeders’ Cup Stakes. The following season the handsome bay won the GR2 San Felipe Stakes and the GR1 Malibu before coming second by a head in the Santa Anita Derby.

He capped off his four-year-old season with a win in the GR1 Metropolitan Handicap before being retired to Airdie Stud in Midway, KY with seven wins in 12 starts and earnings of $1,061,193.

During his stallion career Afternoon Deelites sired 23 stakes winners including GR2-winner Zappa and two-time GR3-winner Three Hour Nap. After moving to Clear Creek in 2004, Afternoon Deelites sired two Louisiana-bred champions: Princess Deelite and Nob Hill Deelite.

His son, Popcorn Deelites, a non-stakes-winning sprinter, is best known for playing “Seabiscuit” in the Oscar-nominated film starring Jeff Bridges.  Pops was retired to Old Friends by owner David Hoffmans in 2005.

“Kent Desormeaux, who rode Afternoon Deelites in every one of his starts, once told me he was the fastest horse he ever rode,” said Old Friends founder and president Michael Blowen. “We can’t thank Val Murrel and everyone at Clear Creek enough for entrusting us with this champion.

“It’s an honor and privilege to have him here,” Blowen added, “and we hope all of his fans will come out and visit him.”

For more information about Afternoon Deelites or any of the retirees at Old Friends contact the farm at (502) 863-1775.

About Old Friends
Old Friends is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that cares for more than 100 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, reservations at the Old Friends B&B, 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, cagrisolia@yahoo.com, or Michael Blowen, (502) 863-1775, michael@oldfriendsequine.org

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