Fabulous Strike, winner of the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes in 2007, has been
permanently pensioned at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Center in
Georgetown, Kentucky.
The eight-year-old Pennsylvania bred was retired from racing in September and
was donated to Old Friends by his owner and breeder, Walter Downey and his Tea
Party Stable.
Fabulous Strike, a son of Smart Strike, is a five-time graded stakes winner
and was one of the nation’s top sprinters between 2007 and 2009. In addition to
the Vosburgh, his victories included the Grade 2 True North Handicap and the
Grade 2 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap in 2009. He was also the runner-up in the
Vosburgh in 2008 and 2009, and in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap in 2009. In all,
the gelding captured 15 of his 28 starts and had total career earnings of
$1,448, 399.
After suffering an injury in 2009, Fabulous Strike was sidelined for 18
months during which he underwent stem cell therapy at Pennsylvania’s New Bolton
Center. He made a winning return to the track this past April when he went
wire-to-wire for long-time trainer Todd M. Beattie to capture a six-furlong
allowance race at Penn National.
“We are so happy to add Fabulous Strike to our family of retirees,” Old
Friends president and founder Michael Blowen said. “We are honored that Walter
Downey has entrusted us with his champ.”
Blowen added that Fabulous Strike marks the third Vosburgh winner to retire
with Old Friends. He joins 2002 winner Bonapaw and 1998 winner Affirmed Success.
“We know Fabulous Strike has many devoted fans,and we can’t wait for them to
come out and visit him here at the farm,” Blowen said.
“I’m a small time breeder and he was a once in a lifetime horse for me,”
Downey said. “After his last start he came back a bit sore, not at all lame, but
in the same breath the trainer and I decided it was time to just let him be a
horse.”
Downey, who is Boston-based, adds that while he never met Michael Blowen, he
was a long-time fan of the Old Friends founder, who is journalist and former
film critic for the Boston Globe.
“When Michael called me about Fabulous Strike we instantly formed a
connection,” Downey said.