Old Friends, the Kentucky-based operation that hopes to give the public access to visit retired Thoroughbred stallions, could open its doors at Afton Farm near Midway, Ky., as early as next March.

Michael Blowen, president of Old Friends, has a verbal agreement with Afton’s owners, Philip and Betty Sue Walters, to lease a portion of the 70-acre farm to construct a second entrance, four paddocks, and a run-in shed.

Betty Sue Walters came up with the idea after hearing Blowen’s frustrations with attempts to find the right spot.

“Our farm is very picturesque,” Walters said. “I had thought about doing a bed and breakfast here. I looked around and thought about it. It took a couple days to get Phil into the idea