Meeting Calvin Borel

Old Friends equine retirement farm hosted Calvin Borel, the jockey who took Mine That Bird to his Kentucky Derby win and Rachel Alexandra to her impressive Oaks and Preakness wins. We just had to go! We went to Old Friends last year and I believe it's one of the only rescues primarily made up of just Thoroughbred stallions. There are some retired broodmares on the farm, but they aren't the main draw.
Hayes got Borel's autograph and we were able to get this picture with him. I thought Hayes would tell him she wanted to be a jockey and what would his advice be, but no. He asked her if she liked horses and I piped up that we had an old racehorse.
I met someone who has several partnerships in Thoroughbreds racing and it just happened to be through Dogwood Stable, based in Aiken, S.C. Small world!
This is the farm's mascot, Silver Charm, who is too cute! Farm volunteer Val snipped some of Charm's forelock just for Hayes.
Val writes the weekly Old Friends blog here.
Here is Flick, who came running with paddock mate Danthebluegrassman, for lots of attention. We gave each peppermints from my purse.
This handsome 5-year-old fellow bears the moniker EscapedfromNewYork. He was one of the 177 Thoroughbreds left to starve under New York trainer Ernie Paragallo's care. Old Friends took in this guy a month ago and we were told he was very unsocial - hard to believe because he was certainly friendly and too, too cute for us.