At the Post Live hosts Michael Blowen, Jonathan Thomas and Jeff Cannizzo

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » At the Post Live will host Old Friends founder Michael Blowen, trainer Jonathan Thomas and NYTB executive director Jeff Cannizzo from 8 to 9 p.m. Thursday night at the Parting Glass Pub, 40 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs, hosted by Andy Serling.

Michael Blowen founded Old Friends, a Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, KY in 2003. Since, the organization has grown from a leased paddock and one horse to a 136acre farm, a herd of over 175 rescued and retired horses, and two satellite facilities: Old Friends at Cabin Creek, the Bobby Frankel Division, in Greenfield Center, NY and Old Friends at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, KY. Blowen had long believed that horses past their prime could still be valuable–money-earning even—if the venue was right. And so Old Friends tested the concept by opening its doors to the public, inviting fans to revisit their turf heroes. Now a “livinghistory museum of horse racing,” the farm attracts nearly 20,000 visitors annually who come to swoon over such American Grade 1 winners as Breeders’ Cup Champions Amazombie, Little Mike and Alphabet Soup, Belmont Stakes winners Sarava and Touch Gold, and three-time Santa Anita Handicap winner Game On Dude. The farm is also home to Kentucky Derby and Preakness champions Silver Charm and War Emblem, each repatriated from stud duties overseas. In 2014 Old Friends was rewarded with a Special Eclipse Award honoring extraordinary service in the sport of Thoroughbred racing.

Jonathan Thomas heads Bridlewood Farm’s training division. Prior to this role, Thomas worked as an assistant trainer for some of the sport’s top trainers including Christophe Clement, handling such standouts as Voodoo Dancer, England’s Legend, and Forbidden Apple, and Dale Romans with the likes of Kitten’s Joy and Roses In May. In 2007, Thomas was offered a job with HRH King Abdullah and moved to Saudi Arabia. A year later, Todd Pletcher offered Thomas the opportunity to return to the States as an assistant trainer for his leading training outfit in North America. Surrounded by the best horseflesh, staff, and clientele, he learned how to cultivate top-class Thoroughbreds, including the likes of Uncle Mo, Super Saver, Eskendereya, and many other major Grade 1 winners. With many successes under Pletcher, Thomas took the opportunity to join Bridlewood in 2013; to help reestablish its Training Division as one of the premier training divisions in all of North America. In 2017, he picked up his first graded stakes wins with a promising 2-year-old colt Catholic Boy at Saratoga. Catholic Boy is pointing towards this year’s Travers Stakes.

Jeff Cannizzo is the Executive Director of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc. and a member of the Board of Directors of the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding & Development Fund. A third generation horsemen from the Finger Lakes Region of New York State, his family has been involved with the Thoroughbred industry for the past 50 years. Cannizzo has advocated for the industry in New York’s complex political environment, and has publicly pressured government by testifying multiple times for its Thoroughbred interests including breeders and horsemen. Instrumental in directing movements through the most challenging times for New York Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing over the last decade, his perseverance and leadership have helped pave a way forward in New York. Cannizzo was named to the Thoroughbred Times’ inaugural “40 under 40” list of industry leaders in 2010. In 2014, he was recognized by the Albany Business Review’s “40 Under Forty” for making a difference in New York State businesses and communities. The annual New York Thoroughbred Breeders sale will take place, this weekend, on Aug. 11 and 12.

Due to a Yankees broadcast conflict, this week’s show will air on ESPN Radio 104.5 FM “The Team” on Saturday Aug. 11 from 10 to 11 a.m. and Sunday, Aug. 12 from 10 to 11 a.m. Recordings of each weekly show can also be found on the NYRA Now app and podcast, “Across The Board.”