Bobby's Kitten to stand at Lanwades in England in 2017

Grade 1 winner Bobby’s Kitten will become the first son of Kitten’s Joy to stand in Europe, as it was recently announced that the 5-year-old horse has been retired to Lanwades Stud in Newmarket, England, for the 2017 season.

Bred and raced by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Kitten’s Joy won the Grade 1 Breeder’s Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita in 2014 and in his career took six of 15 starts – all but one coming on turf – and earned $1,389,417.
In his last and only start this year, he shipped to Ireland to win the six-furlong Cork Sprint Stakes by 8 1/2 lengths on a heavy course. It was his only start outside North America.

"We are delighted and proud here at Lanwades to have acquired such an exciting stallion prospect," said Kirsten Rausing, owner and general manager of Lanwades, in a release on the farm's site.

“Bobby’s Kitten, with his notable affinity for turf racing, marvelous temperament, outstanding physique and racing durability, will significantly complement our other stallions. In addition to this, he will provide a fantastic outcross opportunity for the majority of European mares."

No stud fee has yet been set for the horse.

Trained in North America by Chad Brown, Bobby’s Kitten won the Grade 3 Pilgrim Stakes at 2 and the Penn Mile at 3. In his only start not on turf, he was 12th in the Blue Grass Stakes on Polytrack.

Bobby’s Kitten is out of the Forestry mare Celestial Woods, dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Celestial Kitten (by Kitten’s Joy) and stakes winner Major Kitten (by Kitten’s Joy). His second dam, unplaced Celestial Bliss, by Relaunch, is a half sister to champion turf male Paradise Creek and to Grade 1 turf winners Forbidden Apple and Wild Event.

Kitten’s Joy, a leading sire and the premier sire of turf runners based in North America, has sired 77 stakes winners, including champion turf male Big Blue Kitten and Grade 1winners Stephanie’s Kitten, Real Solution, and Admiral Kitten, among others.