V. E. Day, pensioned from stud, arrives at Old Friends Farm

Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky., is pleased to announce the arrival of V. E. Day to the farm. He won the Grade 1 Travers Stakes in 2014.

A chestnut son of English Channel out of the Deputy Minister mare California Sunset, V. E. Day came to Old Friends following the death of his owner-breeder Magalen O. Bryant in 2021. Bryant's representative, Johnathan Miller, and her daughter, K. C. Graham, visited Old Friends earlier this year when it was decided the stallion would retire from stud duty.

“V. E. Day was a courageous Travers winner and we inquired about his post-breeding career last year,” said Michael Blowen, president and founder of Old Friends. “We're very excited that his owner trusts us with her magnificent chestnut.”

Foaled in Kentucky on April 21, 2011, V. E. Day was trained by James Jerkens for Bryant his entire American racing career.

As a 3-year old in 2014, V. E. Day got his first career win his third time out in a maiden special weight race at Belmont Park on May 10, which turned out to be the start of a four-race win streak. In his next race, he won an allowance race at Belmont Park on July 2, followed by a win in the Curlin at Saratoga on July 25 for his first stakes win.

Then, next time out, he scored the signature victory of his career when he won the 145th running of the Travers (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 23. In the race, he defeated Wicked Strong by nose for his first Grade 1 win.

Later that year, he finished 11th in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 1.

He returned in 2015 as a 5-year old, but had no wins. However, he did have two second-place finishes, both at Belmont, which came in the Brooklyn Invitational (G2) on June 6, and in the Temperence Hill Invitational on Sept 12.

He was then sent to France in 2016 as a 6-year old and had three third-place finishes in four starts. The first two came at Clairefontaine-Deauville on July 7 and Aug. 12, and the last came at Le Croise-Laroche on Nov. 19.

Following that race V. E. Day, who had won on both turf and dirt in his career, was retired with four wins, three seconds, three thirds, and $1,044,061 in earnings in 17 career starts.

During his stud career, he stood at Waldorf Farm in New York, Lovacres Ranch near Warner Springs, Calif., and Buck Pond Farm in Versailles, before being pensioned and sent to Old Friends for his retirement.