The second running of the $150,000 Old Friends Stakes will take place Thursday at Kentucky Downs in Franklin.

The race will honor Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Georgetown that cares for more than 160 former racehorses. Old Friends also has a satellite facility at Kentucky Downs, featuring eight retired Thoroughbreds in its “Old Friends Exhibit” located on the grounds.

The $150,000 stakes (which includes $75,000 from Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund) is for 3-year-olds and up. 

In addition to the $150,000 Old Friends Stakes, several races on the card will be dedicated to horses pensioned at the non-profit organization. Proceeds from all race sponsorships will benefit Old Friends.

•The Game On Dude honors the three-time Santa Anita Handicap winner.

•The Silver Charm pays tribute to the 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Champion.

•The Little Mike celebrates the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Turf and Arlington Million winner who retired to Old Friends earlier this year.

“Having a stakes race named after us is such a milestone,” said Old Friends’s Blowen. “This represents enormous recognition from the racing industry, and I can’t think of a better way to honor our horses, so many of whom were stakes winners.

“Our thanks goes out to Kentucky Downs for all that they’ve done to support Old Friends and to all of our race day sponsors today, including Tribute for their continued sponsorship of the Old Friends Stakes,” Blowen added. “I hope everyone will come out and spend the day with us.” 

Old Friends Farm in Georgetown is home to over 100 of the organization’s 164 retirees, and star attractions include Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem, Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Alphabet Soup and Belmont Stakes winners Sarava and Touch Gold.

The Old Friends satellite at Kentucky Downs features eight retirees, include one-time Derby contender Lusty Latin, Canadian Horse of the Year Thornfield, and Kentucky Turf Cup Rumor Has It. Tours are not offered during live racing, but will resume on Sept. 18. The facility is open daily from 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and the first scheduled tour is at 11 a.m. Tours are $5 for adults, children under 12 are free. Walk-ins are welcome, reservations are encouraged. Please call the Simpson County Tourism office at 270-586-3040.