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Please join us once again for

The Fourth Annual
"Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby"
A Unique Online Derby Hat Auction Benefiting Old Friends

sponsored by
MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS®
Custom Derby Millinery by Sally Faith Steinmann

Featured Horse
Dancin' Renee

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Dancin' Renee
Biographical information courtesy of Old Friends website

Raced as a homebred for Sanford Bacon, 1997 New York Champion Sprinter and Champion Older Female Dancin' Renee won the New York Stallion Park Avenue Stakes, Berlo Handicap, and Broadway Handicap at Aqueduct, the Honorable Miss Stakes (G3) at Saratoga, the Regret Stakes at Monmouth, the Endine Stakes at Delaware Park and the Straight Deal Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Laurel Park, 14 wins in all in her 21 starts, for a total of $490,258. Retired from the track, she was bred to the best as a broodmare at Mill Creek Farm and produced winners, including the stakes winning filly Risky Rachel. At the age of 20, having danced every dance and excelled at all that was asked of her, she was donated to Old Friends for the happy retirement she has earned. Old Friends thanks Sanford Bacon for securing the future of the fleet and game Dancin' Renee.

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Old Friends Welcomes New York Horse of the Year Dancin' Renee
Saturday, September 15, 2012 | written by Cynthia Grisolia

Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Georgetown, KY, has welcomed new retiree Dancin’ Renee, a graded-stakes winning mare and 1997’s New York Horse of the Year.

A homebred for owner Sanford Bacon, Dancin’ Renee is the New York-bred daughter of Distinctive Pro out of three-time New York Broodmare of the Year Lolli Lucka Lolli.

For three seasons, Renee had a stellar career on the track, with 14 wins from 21 starts. In her banner year, 1997, she claimed seven consecutive victories, including the GR3 Honorable Miss at Saratoga, the Broadway Handicap at Aqueduct, and the Monmouth Park Regret Stakes, which was her final start. Her earnings totaled $490,258.

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For her efforts in ‘97, Dancin’ Renee was crowned New York Horse of the Year as well as Champion Sprinter and Champion Older Female by the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc.

The now 20-year-old broodmare is also well represented by several winners, including her first foal to earn black-type, the Limehouse daughter Risky Rachel. Earlier this season Risky Rachel won the Friendly Island Iroquois at Belmont and the Union Avenue Stakes at Saratoga.

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Donated by her owner-breeder, Dancin’ Renee arrived at Old Friends from New York on Friday, September 14.

“We have a lot of horses on our waiting list but I made the decision to take Dancin' Renee because she was a remarkable athlete and Sanford loves her very much, " said Old Friends president and founder Michael Blowen. "She has already bonded with another great mare, one-time world-record holder Klassy Briefcase, and I'm just overjoyed.”

“I met Michael Blowen at a happening in Saratoga,” said Bacon of how he came to Old Friends. “Dennis Brida [the former executive director of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders] introduced me to him. I said, ‘this looks like a wonderful program. I would hopefully like to send Dancin’ Renee there.’ Well, Michael knew her background and her record. He knew everything about her!

“I sent her there because the place is wonderful,” added Bacon, who said he plans to visit Renee as soon as he can.

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To celebrate the horse’s arrival at Old Friends, a press conference was held at Old Friends’s Dream Chase Farm on Friday, June 1, 2012. Members of print, broadcast, and online media were there along with fans and photographers as they met Rapid Redux and heard his remarkable story.

Michael Blowen stated it well that day, “We’re very grateful to David Wells for allowing us to retire Rapid Redux at Old Friends. This durable, tenacious Eclipse Award winner will be accessible to his fans every day. It makes everyone here at Old Friends very proud.”

For additional biographical information on Dancin' Renee, please visit the following link:

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/72829/ny-horse-of-year-dancin-renee-to-old-friends

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To learn more about Old Friends at Dream Chase Farm, please visit the Old Friends website or call them at 502-863-1775.

To view the couture Derby hats from previous hat auctions, please click on the following - Old Friends Hat Auction Portfolio

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