'Ide was as kind as any thoroughbred at Old Friends' - multiple stakes winner and sire dies aged 31

Old Friends, the thoroughbred retirement facility in Georgetown, Kentucky, has reported that multiple Graded-stakes winning stallion Ide was euthanised at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital on Friday due to colic. He was 31.

The beautiful chestnut stallion had been at Old Friends since August 29, 2016 thanks to the Ide Group, which consists of three cousins, Allen Peltier, Bryan Harang, and Harvey ‘Drew’ Peltier. In addition, Peter Willmott retained a share in the horse.

"Although we are sad that Ide has left us, we are also filled with gratitude that Harvey Peltier and the IDE Group allowed us to share this friendly and accomplished horse with tens of thousands of people throughout the years," said John Nicholson, president and CEO of Old Friends. 

"Ide was a special part of Old Friends and a great ambassador for the sport of thoroughbred racing."

Harvey Peltier of the Ide Group was also sad to hear about the loss of Ide.

"I was saddened to hear of Ide's passing, but I was thrilled that Michael Blowen accepted Ide to live out his days at Old Friends," said Peltier. "Ide got lots of attention at Old Friends, where he was fed treats and carrots on a regular basis.

"I'd be remiss if I didn't give thanks to Clear Creek Stud for the wonderful job of caring and promoting Ide at stud," he continued. "Also, I'd like to give thanks for all the breeders for their support, and all the people at Old Friends for their care and a special thank you to Michael Blowen."

Bred by David B Garvin, Ide, who was by Forty Niner out of Maytide, by Naskra, was foaled in Kentucky on May 5, 1993.

Trained by Peter M Vestal and owned by Willmott Stables for his entire career, Ide began racing as a two-year-old in 1995.

Ide won his first race in his third start, a maiden special weight race at Turfway Park on September 13, which was the beginning of a seven-race win streak over a two-year period that included five stakes victories, four of them Graded stakes.

His first stakes win was in the Listed Fort Springs Stakes at Keeneland, followed by two Graded-stakes wins at Churchill Downs in the Iroquois Stakes and Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, both Grade 3. 

His second two Graded-stakes wins came at Oaklawn Park in 1996 as a three-year-old in the Southwest Stakes and the Rebel Stakes, also both Grade 3. Those wins marked him as one of the favourites for the 1996 Kentucky Derby.

Unfortunately, while preparing for his next start in the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park, Ide suffered a career-ending injury and was retired.

Ide began his stud career in 1997 at the Lavin Family's Longfield Farm in Goshen, Kentucky. Then in 2003, he was purchased by the Ide Group and moved to Clear Creek Stud in Folsom, Louisiana for the rest of his stud career.

Ide was a very successful sire. According to the Louisiana Bred Blog, Ide "was the leading sire in Louisiana for 2003 by number of winners and North American earnings, and stayed at or near the top of the leading Louisiana sires list for the remainder of his career. He was the A.L. ‘Red’ Erwin Louisiana Sire of the Year in both 2009 and 2013, leading all other sires of Louisiana breds in earnings those years."

During his stud career, Ide sired 16 stakes winners, including Louisiana-bred Horse of the Year Ide Be Cool, and champion colt Ide Like A Double.

Ide was pensioned in January 2015, and then sent to Old Friends for his retirement thanks to the Ide Group. 

"Ide was as kind as any thoroughbred at Old Friends," said Blowen, founder of Old Friends. "He graced us with his confident demeanour and, even though he lived a long, full life it wasn't long enough."

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