The Art of Old Friends

About the book:

This exceptional collection of paintings, drawings, and pencil sketches has been a long labor of love for Old Friends artist-in-residence Dagmar Galleithner-Steiner.

Crafted over more than seven years, The Art of Old Friends is an ode to the farm’s famous and not-so-famous retired athletes. It features almost 50 unique pastel paintings and pencil works of horses both past and present, including such champions as Kentucky Derby winners Silver Charm and Charismatic, three-time Santa Anita Handicap winner Game On Dude-- who graces the cover-- Horse of the Year Black Tie Affair, and Eclipse winners Sunshine Forever and Hidden Lake. The in-progress sketches depict the farm, its people, the horses, and other pets-in- residence, like Buddy the cat. 

The horses’ careers—from racetrack to retirement-- -are recapped through brief reminiscences by Daily Racing Form executive columnist and five-time Eclipse Award-winner Jay Hovdey and Old Friends founder Michael Blowen.  The Foreword was written by Bob and Jill Baffert.

“I wanted to create something for people that have not been able to visit the farm,” says Galleithner- Steiner. “I wanted them to feel like they have been here. And the honor of being allowed to immortalize these amazing athletes is one of the greatest feelings one could ever experience.” The completed work is a chronicle of the history of Old Friends that captures not only the soul of the horse but also the regal spirit of the Thoroughbred. This is volume one of what we hope will be a collectible series. The artist is generously donating 100 percent of the proceeds to the horses Old Friends.

The horses featured in the book are:   Amazombie, Afternoon Deelites, Appygolucky, Awad, Black Tie Affair, Bonnie’s Poker, Bull Inthe Heather, Catlaunch, Charismatic, Clever Allemont, Commentator, Creator, Criminal Type, Danthebluegrassman, Delay of Game, Driven by Success, Estrapade, Flick, Fortunate Prospect, Fraise, Free Spirit’s Joy, Game On Dude, Gulch, Hidden Lake, Kiri’s Clown, Little Silver Charm, Marquetry, Midnight Secret, Narrow Escape, Ogygian, Popcorn Deelites, Precisionist, Prized, Rail Trip, Rapid Redux, Ruhlmann, Sarava, Silver Charm, Special Ring, Sunshine Forever, Swan’s Way, Taylor’s Special, Thunder Rumble, Tinners Way, Wallenda, Watchem Smokey and Williamstown.