Storm Cat was born on Feb. 27, 1983, and died 30 years later on April 24, 2013. In between, due to the diligence and faith of owner-breeder W.T. Young and to his own extraordinary set of genes, he became the classic American success story.
Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms stallion Roman Ruler enjoyed his best year at stud since 2011 last season, when he led all Kentucky sires of juveniles with 29 winners, highlighted by a Grade 1-winning filly. The 12-year-old Fusaichi Pegasus ridgling got off to an auspicious start in the breeding shed five years ago, when he finished second on the freshman sire list in 2009. Two years after that, he became a classic sire when his son Ruler On Ice upset the 2011 Belmont Stakes. After a couple of quiet years, he was back in the headlines in fall 2013.
Speightstown was relatively one-dimensional as a racehorse. As a sire, he has been anything but, showing versatility that has made him one of the leading sires in North America.
Candy Ride might fairly be called a “Stallion for All Surfaces.” His sons and daughters perform well on grass, both yielding and firm, and have distinguished themselves on traditional dirt tracks spanning the spectrum from glib and fast, to deep, muddy messes. But, above all, he is that new-age specialist known as a “synthetic sire,” one whose babies simply fly over artificial veneers of sand mixed with such geotextile concoctions as recycled carpet, rubber, jelly cable, and, yes, even spandex encased in wax.
Unbridled’s Song, who sired multiple champions, died last July at age 20. However, the continued prominence of Taylor Made’s flagship sire in the North American stallion ranks is more than assured, as he left behind a number of sons at stud. And judging by the dominance of this group on the 2013 Kentucky freshman sire list, that trend is poised to continue.
Veteran stallion Tale of the Cat finished 2013 atop the Kentucky juvenile sire list by earnings as his 2-year-olds bankrolled $1,822,245. The 20-year-old regally bred son of Storm Cat bested juvenile earnings runner-up Street Cry – the sire of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner New Year’s Day – by more than $78,000.
Mobil and Lunarpal, recent additions to the Mapleton Thoroughbred Farm stallion roster, finished one-two on Ohio’s sire list by progeny earnings in 2013.
Shore Breeze led the state’s general sire list for three straight years from 2010-12, and his progeny earned $976,722 in 2013. However, the son of Danzig has departed to stand at Iowa State University in 2014. Among the remaining stallions who stand or last stood in Illinois – including those deceased or pensioned – the late Cherokee Rap led the way in 2013, followed by Road Ruler, the state’s top returning stallion for 2014.
Strong Hope completed his third consecutive season atop Indiana’s general sire list in 2013 by amassing $1,166,832 in progeny earnings and edging runner-up Domestic Dispute by just less than $11,000.
Champion Points Offthebench earned another posthumous honor on Monday, when the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association named him the California-bred Horse of the Year for 2013.
