Is that what we will remember the most from the great Storm Cat? Or will we just remember the ego driven auction wars between the bloodstock agents representing their respected Irish and Arab connections?
Who will be the next stallion that will cause such a tornado effect at the sales, or will their even be one? The days of numerous multi million-dollar sales offerings are few and far between. The trend of purchasing high end prospects, developing a good race horse and campaigning to all the right races have been replaced with purchasing a stallion prospect mid-career or a stud already represented by foals on the ground.
Adding into the equation is where you are from and where you ended up. Ideally standing in KY and receiving the best mares for an astronomical stud fee is the mecca of stallion ownership. If you're not purchased mid-career by such an establishment that can provide you with the right support will mean you will be cast off the Bluegrass island into a regional program. Most likely you will be presented to a lack luster cast of resident mares. Many of which who went thorough a vigorous screening process of they have a pulse, uterus, and clean culture.
Needless to say, many regional sires do not get the sales attention if any attention at all compared to the cast of characters standing in Kentucky. They just need to be bred to mares who will foal out state registered and recognized racehorses who will earn breeders, owners and eventually the stallion owner(s) added or bonus state funded purse money. The cycle will continue for another year.
That upper echelon of stallions with the backing of owners who stand them in the central hub of the Thoroughbred universe of Kentucky. The pay day for their owners will come in the mail 30 days after a live foal has been foaled and has stood and nursed on its own means. Although the number of live foals born each year do count toward the stallions overall "numbers". Most stallion owners and managers will tell you his job is done once the mare is confirmed infoal. The rest of the gestation and birthing being "her job".
Once a foal owner has paid board and vet fees for the health and care of the broodmare carrying to term and foaling a live offspring, the stud fee will be paid and the mare will be rebred. The filly or colt produced, if one of the "beautiful people" of the foal crop will be headed to public sale. Either as a weanling or yearling preferably. An owner will elect to send a foal to the sale early to return as much profit (if any)as possible they can. Their expenses are doubled now that 2 horses are being paid for as Momma is baking a possible third.
Bring us back to Storm Cat. The lightly raced, Grade 1 winning son of Storm Bird. Grandson of immortal Northern Dancer and from a dam sired by legendary Secretariat. Storm Cat's bloodlines helped him command a record setting $500,000 stud fee up to his retirement in 2008. Well supported by the best mares of the time. Storm Cat has sired 20 crops of racing age. The last will be 2 year olds of 2011. (which will be 21 crops of racing age). Siring 1,449 foals, 1,080 starters(.74%), 174 black type stakes winners(.16%), 8 champions(.007%), 774 winners(.71) of 2,217 races. Those offspring have won over $123 million dollars. Many of those offspring have gone onto broodmare careers that have produced 128 black-type winners and multi million dollar earners.
Impressive numbers, but the majority of his success came from the commanding price of his offspring in the sale ring. $500,000 (plus expenses) was just a drop in the feed bucket to the multi million dollar sales figures his yearlings would bring at such venues as Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton during the market high of the early 21st century.
So, I tell you all of this not to sell you a season to Storm Cat in hopes of putting a down payment on the new water front property in Miami. I tell you this so we can both look at some of the sales figures of the 2005-2010 Keeneland September Storm Cat offspring and just chuckle. Chuckle and Envy perhaps. Envy those who turned their large investment into a MUCH larger ROI, and chuckle at the fools who paid so much and never saw anything but bills. So in the spirit of New Years.. Here are the TOP 5 FLOPS of each Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
2005
Hip #384. 2/15/2004 (Storm Cat x Tranquility Lake by Rahy). Price $9,700,000.
Name: Jalil
Purchased By: John Ferguson (1 of 4 Storm Cat purchases at the sale)
Comments: Out of the multi Grade 1 winning, millionaire earner TRANQUILITY LAKE. At the time of the sale this mares oldest foal was an unraced 2 year old. He (a full brother) would end up being Lane's End stallion AFTER MARKET. Tranquility Lake was bred to Storm Cat 5 times, producing 3 stakes winners.
Surprisingly Jalil did fairly well for himself at the track. Not $9.7 million-good. But would make a regional stallion owner proud. In 2006 he was sent to England to run once as a 2 year old (unplaced). 2007 made 3 starts in Eng. 1 win, twice second ($15,198) before moving to the United Arab Emirates in 2008 where he had a near perfect season of 3 wins from 4 starts. Jalil captured the Maktoum Challenge Round 3 [G2] (UAE)where he set a track record for 8.5 furlongs in 1:42.15 and earned $312,000. Afterward he took a plane ride over to Boston Massachusetts and ran 3rd in the Waquoit Stakes at Suffolk Downs earning $5,000. He returned to the UAE for lackluster 2009/2010 season making 3 more starts, none on the board and earning $4,000.
Total: 12(4-2-1)$336,198
Hip# 345. 1/8/2004 (Storm Cat x Secret Status by A.P. Indy). Price: $6,300,000.
Name: Objectivity
Purchased by: John Ferguson (agent for Sheik Mo)
Comments: Ch Colt, out of a Great race filly. Multi G1 winning millionaire SECRET STATUS. Who in her own breeding career will give us multi G1 runner up Dunkirk. Dunkirk, by Unbridled's Song was a KEESept 07' yearling purchase of $3,700,000 to Demi O'Byrne. If you sell one to the Arabs, you have to sell one to the Irish - Keeneland Fight Club Rule. ...Funny fact, 2010 KEESEPT sold the full brother to Dunkirk for $150,000. Hello!
Anyway, You would assume the purchaser of a $6.3 million dollar horse would provide the absolute best of everything to ensure his investment makes it to the track. As of Dec 31st, 2010 - he is Unraced. Pedigree Query notes that this horse was adopted out thorough Darleys retraining program. Click Here for picture. So someone out there is boasting they have a $6.3 million dollar riding horse. AWESOME.
Hip #380. 1/23/2004 (Storm Cat x Tomisue's Delight by A.P. Indy) Price: $3,900,000.
Named: Mr. Sidney
Purchased By: trainer John Kimmel, agent for Circle E Racing.
Comments: Hands down the best female family of the 3 so far. Actually one if not the best female family in the sale. Tomisue's Delight was no slacker on the track making over $1.2 million dollars and being a multiple G1 winner. She is also a full sister to another Lanes End stallion, Horse of the year and Champion older MINESHAFT. T.D. is out of the 2003 Broodmare of the Year Prospector's DELIGHT, multi G1 winner who earned over $432k and has produced multiple graded stake winners and dams of graded stakes winner.
Mr. Sidney made his presence on the track known by capturing the Maker's Mark Mile S. G1, as well as the Firecracker H. G2 and was 3rd in the Shadwell Turf Mile S. G1. All races 8 furlongs on the turf. Between turf, polytrack and pro-ride, Mr. Sidney only raced on real dirt once. He retired to Stud in France in 2010 to Haras du Quesnay, one of Frances' most prestigious stud farms.
Total: 13 (5-1-2) $486-875.
Hip #394. 3/11/2004 (Storm Cat x Warrior Queen by Quiet American) Price: $3.8 million
Named: Egyptian Queen
Purchased By: Demi O'Byrne for Irish breeders Symthson
Comments: Unraced and sent to Ireland. Talk about taking the chance. At the time this filly went to the sale her dam Warrior Queen had one other foal who was a 2 year old and had not started. (Remember we are in September now). Warrior Queen was not a bad race filly. She was a high weight filly in both England and Ireland and was group 3 stakes placed. The catalog page was light in the beginning however fast forward a year to the same sale and that previously unraced 2 year old (now 3) has become multiple G2 winner on both the turf and dirt, G1 Santa Anita Derby third place finisher A.P. WARRIOR. Early in his career was trained by Eoin Harty but then passed to trainer John Sherreffs. John is currently rejoicing in his Zenyatta fame.
Fast forward to November, 2010. Egyptian Queen is sold for $390,000 in foal to Sadler's Wells son Galileo. After having 2 previous foals by Galileo and her first foal who is by Montjeu is a winner at 3 in 2010 and has made almost $40,000.
Hip #74. 2/27/2004. (Storm Cat x Serena's Song by Rahy). Price $3.5 million
Named: Colourful Score
Purchased by: Johnny Ferguson for Sheik Mo.
Comments: Bred by Bob and Beverly Lewis. Racing royalty at the time. Undoubtedly out the best mare in the whole sale, who had already had major success with her other Storm Cat foals GRAND REWARD and filly SOPHISTICAT. Grand Reward now stands at Hill 'N' Dale farm in Lexington, KY and Sophisticat went on to produce Group Stakes winner in France, Ireland and graded stakes placed horses in the U.S. Serena's Song has produced fantastic runners but none have ever brought the price tag of this colt, who went on to race unsuccessfully in England in 2007 (3 year old). After having major gate issues, Colourful Score took all of 2008 and 2009 off before he showed up again in Dubai at Jebel Ali on 2/12/ 2010. In his one and only start in 3 years he broke his maiden by 7 1/2 lengths and earned $12,249. The only time in his life he earned a check.
Total: 3 (1-0-0) $12,249
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