Old Friends: Visits With My Favorite Thoroughbreds

by Barbara D. Livingston

When famous racehorses retire from the track, some remain in the spotlight while others eventually fade into obscurity. But the fondness that racing fans feel for some of these horses never dies.

Genres: Nonfiction, Horses, Horse Racing

200 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2002

Reviews

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Dad died six months after my beloved 15 year old dog died. After that double whammy, I basically was a basket case with crippling panic attacks. Going to a doctor was out of the question, since I got dropped by my insurance and Medicaid refused to assign me a doctor.

After a long, painful time, I decided to start reading again. This was the first book I read, it calmed me down quite a lot. I used to love horse racing. Now, I hate horse racing, but I still love the horses. Many of the horses pictured were those I watched when I was young and dumb.

The photographs themselves are works of art. They're perfect at showing the beauty of old horses. Although this is aimed for the American racing fan, you just need to love horses to appreciate this book.

This book inspired the creation of Old Friends Thoroughbred horse sanctuaries.

Horses include:

Merrick
Affirmed, the 1978 Triple Crown winner
All Along
Alleged
Allegretto (GB)
Angel Island
Bargain Day
Basket Weave
Blue Ensign
Brown Bess
Wedding Reception
Lulu Mon Amour
Sabin
Chinook Pass
Chris Evert -- yes, this is a horse, not the tennis star she's named after
Christmas Past
Coral Dance
Smart Heiress
Cormorant
Cozzene
Creme Fraiche
Dahlia
Dance Forth
Danzig
Wings of Grace
Kelley's Day
Deputed Testimony
Deputy Minister
Annie Edge
First Approach
Heartbreak
Trebor's Choice
Reckon (Fr)
Dr. Blum
Dr. Patches
Fanfreluche
Flatterer
FreeTex (who died soon after the portraits were taken)
Cast Party
Bowl Game
Gato Del Sol
Genuine Risk (!!!!)
Glowing Tribute
Halo
Horatio
Island Whirl
John Henry (!!!!!!!)
King's Swan
Kris S.
Life's Magic
Little Bold John
Little Current
Lord Gaylord
Mac Diarmida
Majesty's Prince
My Juliet
Near East
Northern Baby
Northern Sunset (Ire)
Our Mims -- full sister to Alydar, who has the most amazing story in the book
Our Native
Pam the Ruler
Pleasant Colony
Proud Birdie
Raise a Man
Raja Baba
Rockhill Native
Sans Supplement
Seattle Slew, the 1977 Triple Crown winner
Shelter Half
Silver Buck
Six Crowns
Smarten
Spectacular Bid, the last great American superhorse and the horse that got me watching racing
Son of Briartic
Star de Naskra
Stay Out Front
Stop the Music
Thirty Flags
Nasrahni Native
Timeless Moment
Valid Appeal
Low Cut
Shiver My Timbers
Water Lily
Viva Sec
Wajima
Waya (Fr)
Wayward Lass
Zuppardo's Prince

[Joseph J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A MUST for horse racing fans, especially those of the 1970's and 1980's. Here are the famous-Seattle Slew and Affirmed and others-(I met those two twice!) and the almost forgotten-the beautiful Calumet champion Our Mims. Livingston is a great photographer and a jewel of a writer. Some of these stories bring a tear to the hardest eye and heart. I met her at Belmont some years back and she is as warm and engaging as her writing.

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really beautiful collection of photos and stories about retired track favorites and racetrack failures alike.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Livingston is not only a great photographer but a writer with great soul as well. This book visits retired Thoroughbred racehorses in their old age and is beautiful and heart-warming.