Wishful Tomcat stands in Washington

Sunday’s closing-day card at Belmont will include appearances by the 8-year-old Be Bullish and 10-year-old Gimme Credit, a pair of consistent New York-bred stakes winners who are well past their prime. One hopes they eventually find a suitable home when their racing days are over as did another New York-bred stakes-winning veteran, Wishful Tomcat.

Unlike Be Bullish and Gimme Credit, who are geldings, Wishful Tomcat is a horse and standing at stud at Homer Thoroughbreds in Burbank, Wash.

Linda Rice, one of nine trainers to have had Wishful Tomcat, found Wishful Tomcat a home in April, a few months after he ran his final race in January at Aqueduct.

In a 51-race career, Wishful Tomcat won 18 races, including seven stakes, topped by the 2005 Grade 3 Discovery when in the barn of Gary Contessa.

Over the years, Wishful Tomcat plummeted through the claiming ranks to the $7,500 level. Rice, who won a $12,500 claiming race with Wishful Tomcat on Jan. 17, stopped on the horse after he injured an ankle in a race four days later.

“He was a really cool horse,” said Rice, who claimed the horse on two occasions. “He ran short, he ran long, he ran dirt, he ran turf. He was a winner and everybody loved him.”

Lynn Homer, the farm and stallion manager for Homer Thoroughbreds, said he bred Wishful Tomcat to four of his own mares and two were confirmed in foal. He said he did not advertise Wishful Tomcat because he got the horse too late.

Homer said that he may stand Wishful Tomcat for $2,500 next year.