Oldfriendskentucky To Lead Auld Lange Syne Post Parade

There have been many ‘iron horses’ over the years and this season we may have seen one of the last… OLDFRIENDSKENTUCKY wrapped up his fourteen-year-old season, at Leamington, this past September when he finished third and clocked up his own mile in 1:59.1. 

The ‘iron horse’ son of Whosurboy from the Apaches Fame mare Pattis Fame - had started 466 times during his long-lasting career - sporting a win-place-show record of 39-40-48 with $228,470 earned and a mark of 1:52.4 taken over the Georgian Downs five-eighths oval at the age of three.  

Affectionately known as ‘TUCKY’ his longtime owner/trainer Steve 'Ribsy' Roberts has decided to bring him back to London, one final time, to lead the post parade for tonight’s Auld Lange Syne feature for our older pacers in Race 10.  

Many decades ago, it would have been commonplace to see harness horses make over one hundred starts - per season - when the double-dash programs were the norm and horses would race twice per race card. When those double-dash days disappeared - there were still some horses that would race 70 and 80 times in a calendar year, but that’s still going back some 40 years or more. 

One would have to look a really long time to find a horse nowadays that would race from the age of 2 to 14 and average almost 39 starts per full calendar year. ‘Tucky’ is this rarity and he’s been dubbed the ‘iron horse’ by more than a few folks, involved in this business, in recent years.  

As a two-year-old he’d make it to the races by qualifying over London and then he’d pick up his first career victory, with Alex Lilley aboard, right here at The Raceway - less than a month later - in January of 2012. 

A true highlight victory for ‘Ribsy’ and ‘Tucky’ would take place during our signature night of racing in May of 2015. State Treasurer would indeed win the Molson Pace that night again, but Oldfriendskentucky would also grit-grind his way to victory, with Sylvain Filion aboard, for a 1:55.2 upset score. What a night for the connections winning in front of a huge crowd where it all began for this ‘iron horse’ a few years earlier. 

Thank you for the memories ‘Tucky’ and congratulations on your well-deserved retirement!