NEWS
Leading sire Storm Cat experiencing declining fertility
Posted: Tuesday, April 08, 2008 8:52 PM
Leading sire Storm Cat has experienced a decline in fertility this season, according to published reports.
The 25-year-old by Storm Bird out of multiple Grade 2 winner Terlingua, by Secretariat, stands at Overbrook Farm in Lexington for $300,000 after standing the previous five seasons for $500,000. Storm Cat was the leading general sire in 1999-2000 and is a seven-time leading juvenile sire.
Storm Cat has had strong fertility rates throughout his career at stud, but the numbers are down this season.
“There is no indication that the problem is anything other than the natural degeneration that comes with old age,” Ric Waldman, manager of stallion operations at Overbrook Farm, told Racing Post. “Storm Cat is otherwise in fantastic health and has a good libido and as long as he is comfortable covering we will continue with him. There has been no discussion of next season yet, not even privately.”
Storm Cat has sired 670 winners from 925 starters that have amassed $111,834,554 in purse earnings through Monday. He has sired eight champions, 98 group or graded stakes winners, and 160 stakes winners from 18 crops of racing age.
Among his leading runners are 2000 European Horse of the Year Giant’s Causeway, 1994 Preakness (G1) and Belmont (G1) Stakes winner Tabasco Cat, and champions Storm Flag Flying, Sweet Catomine, Hold That Tiger, and One Cool Cat.
Storm Cat also is well regarded as a sire of sires. Sons of Storm Cat who have gone on to success at stud include leading sires Giant’s Causeway and Hennessy as well as Tale of the Cat, Forest Wildcat, Stormy Atlantic, Forestry, Bernstein, and Van Nistelrooy, among others
A William T. Young homebred, Storm Cat won four of eight career starts, including the 1985 Young America Stakes (G1). He stood his first season at stud for $30,000 in 1988 at Young’s Overbrook Farm.
