Standout turf sire Kitten's Joy gets first Grade 1 winner on dirt with Tripoli

Kitten’s Joy hails from a versatile sireline, but up to this point, he has been firmly entrenched in his own niche. The Eclipse Award champion turf male has become a dominant leading turf sire, with sparing success on dirt. He joined the ranks of his family with high-end success on multiple surfaces on Saturday, recording his first Grade 1 winner on dirt as Tripoli prevailed in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar to stamp himself as a leading candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at the same track.

Kitten’s Joy, who stands at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm in partnership with his owner-breeder Ramsey Farm, is the sire of high-class turf runners such as Cartier European Horse of the Year Roaring Lion, Eclipse Award champion Big Blue Kitten, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and Filly and Mare Turf winner Stephanie’s Kitten, Juvenile Turf winner Oscar Performance, Turf Sprint winner Bobby’s Kitten, and scores of additional Grade 1/Group 1 winners. To this point, his top runners on dirt in the U.S. had been Grade 3 winner Csaba and Grade 3-placed stakes winner Politicallycorrect.

Kitten’s Joy is a son of Irish champion El Prado, who sired that turf champion as well as Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Artie Schiller and other top grass performers. However, El Prado also sired high-class dirt runners such as multiple Grade 1 winners Medaglia d’Oro and Borrego.

Medaglia d’Oro has led the way as an example of versatility from this sireline. He is the sire of champion fillies Rachel Alexandra and Songbird on dirt, as well as standouts like Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty. On turf, he has sired Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Talismanic and Juvenile Fillies Turf winner New Money Honey, among others; his son Mshawish is a Grade 1 winner on both dirt and turf.