Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, Ky., lost two beloved retirees July 28—multiple graded stakes winner, group-placed Dumaani, who was 31, and European champion Swain, who was 30. Both were humanely euthanized due to the infirmities of old age, according to the farm.
The stallions stood most recently at the Lexington-based Shadwell Farm, where they were originally pensioned. They were relocated to Old Friends in the spring of this year as part of a downsizing of operations following the death in 2021 of Shadwell owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
A Kentucky homebred son of Danzig out of the Lord Gayle group 1 winner Desirable, Dumaani was campaigned globally for four seasons from 1993-96. He had starts at Newmarket, Ascot, Nad Al Sheba, Tokyo, and throughout North America. He became a multiple graded stakes winner and multiple group-placed winner who captured back-to-back runnings of the Keeneland Breeders' Cup Mile Stakes (G3T) in 1995-96 for owner Shadwell and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. He also won the Keio Hai Spring Cup (G2) at Tokyo Racecourse, before retiring in 1996 with a 7-3-3 record from 26 starts and career earnings of $1,079,098.
Swain, 30, was bred in Ireland by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum. A son of Nashwan out of the Key to the Mint grade 1 winner Love Smitten, Swain kicked off his career in France with a five-race win streak, which included the Grand Prix de Deauville Lancel (G2) at Deauville and Prix du Lys (G3) at Saint Cloud. Owned by Godolphin and conditioned first by Andre Fabre and later Saeed bin Suroor, he was honored as European champion older horse for 1998 and was highweight older horse in England in 1997 and in England and Ireland in 1998.
With 10 wins from 22 starts, Swain won four races at the highest level—Vodafone Coronation Cup (G1), the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (G1) at Ascot in 1997-98, and the Esat Digifone Irish Champion Stakes (G1). He also placed in two Breeders' Cup World Championship events: third in the 1996 Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) at Woodbine (where Old Friends retiree Alphabet Soup would capture the Breeders' Cup Classic, G1T) and third in the 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic, where he followed Awesome Again and runner-up Silver Charm, both of whom also retired to Old Friends. Swain retired from racing in 1998 with a 10-4-6 record 22 starts and career earnings of $3,797,566.
"It's always sad when we lose any of our wonderful retirees but yesterday was devastating," said Old Friends president Michael Blowen. "The only solace is that farm manager Antonio Marin and Rood and Riddle's Dr. Ashton Broman recognized that both Dumaani and Swain were both in severe discomfort and the best thing for them—not for us—was to take the pain away.
"But the pain their deaths left behind has left a lasting scar on us," added Blowen. "Even when you do your best, it can't defeat mortality."
