Kitten's Joy yearling filly sells for $800,000

Perennial leading turf sire Kitten’s Joy was represented by his most expensive yearling sold on this continent last week at the Keeneland September yearling sale, an $800,000 filly sold to Heider Family Stables.

The filly is out of the stakes-winning Eddington mare Joya Real, a half-sister to graded stakes winner La Dolce Vita. It is the family of Canadian champion Regal Intention.

“We wanted her awfully bad, and she was our pick of the entire sale,” said Scott Heider, who said the filly will be sent to Europe to train with Joseph O’Brien. “We’ve been very lucky with Kitten’s Joys.”

The two highest-priced yearlings of Kitten’s Joy’s stud career have come overseas. He hit a high note in July when a colt out of Grade 1 winner Joyful victory brought $982,202 in U.S. funds from Danox Co. at the Japan Racing Horse Association’s select sale. At the 2018 Tattersalls October yearling sale in Newmarket, a Kitten’s Joy filly sold for $962,336 in U.S. funds to Shawn Dugan, as agent. The filly, named Celestial Beast, is still unraced. She is a full sister to Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Bobby’s Kitten, graded stakes winner Camelot Kitten, and stakes winner Major Magic.

:: DRF BREEDING LIVE: Real-time coverage of breeding and sales

Through Sunday, the worldwide yearling sale average for Kitten’s Joy, who stands at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm in Kentucky in partnership with breeder Ramsey Farm, is $100,912.

Kitten’s Joy was the Eclipse Award champion turf male of 2004 as a 3-year-old for Ken and Sarah Ramsey, who then stood him for more than a decade at Ramsey Farm. The Ramseys sold a 50 percent interest in Kitten’s Joy to Hill ‘n’ Dale, and the El Prado horse moved there in 2018. Kitten’s Joy was the continent’s leading general sire in 2013 and 2018 and has been North America’s leading living turf sire every year since 2013. His top runners include Cartier European Horse of the Year Roaring Lion; Eclipse Award champion turf male Big Blue Kitten; two-time Breeders’ Cup winner and multimillionaire Stephanie’s Kitten; Turf Sprint winner Bobby’s Kitten; English 2000 Guineas winner Kameko; and Grade 1/Group 1 winners Admiral Kitten, Divisidero, Hawkbill, Henley’s Joy, Kitten’s Dumplings, Oscar Performance, Real Solution, and Sadler’s Joy. Internationally, he also is the sire of Ransom the Kitten and Sweet Kitten, champions in Puerto Rico; Second Chance, a champion in the Dominican Republic; and Trust Me Bet, a champion in Macau.