STORM CAT
Foaled in Pennsylvania in 1983, Storm Cat was bred by William Young, who raced the colt in the silks of Overbrook Farm. He was trained by Jonathan Sheppard and was often galloped by Sheppard's wife, Cathy. As of his last start, his jockey was Herb McCauley. His record was 8; 4-3-0, which earned him $570,610 on the track. Storm Cat had a spicy personality, a strong will to win, and was said to have loved peppermints. He unfortunately missed earning an Eclipse Award by inches when he was nailed at the wire by Tasso in the 1985 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). After surgery on his knees over the winter, he failed to train on at 3 and retired to stud at Overbrook Farm. Now the head of his own distinct branch of the Northern Dancer sire line, he has also been acknowledged as a first-rate broodmare sire.
William Young considered selling him following his racing career, Cathy Sheppard persuaded him otherwise and Storm Cat stood his first season at Overbrook in 1988. His introductory fee was $20,000, but over the years it climbed to set a record at $500,000. Jockey Club records credit Storm Cat with having sired 811 winners (55.9%) and 177 stakes winners from 1,452 named foals. His foals won over $128 million. Storm Cat sired a record 91 yearlings that sold for $1 million or more at public auction He was often faulted for passing his offset knees and tough disposition to his foals, but he also passed on his good body and strong hip as well as a powerful competitive instinct--perhaps too powerful, according to top Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien, who described the progeny of Storm Cat as “quick, strong and powerful, but mad. No self-preservation whatsoever.” After the notable filly, November Snow, emerged from his first crop, he rapidly became the farm's premier stallion, a position he held until he was pensioned. He was pensioned in 2008 due to declining fertility. However, he continued to sire foals after he was pensioned as his services were offered to Quarter Horse breeders via artificial insemination in 2009. Storm Cat had become the most valuable and expensive stallion in Kentucky and had broken Bold Ruler's record for American juvenile sire titles by taking his seventh such championship in 2004. On Young's death in 2009, Storm Cat and Overbrook Farm became the property of his son, William Jr. Most of the Overbrook Farm stock was dispersed in 2009, but Storm Cat remained a pensioner at Overbrook until he was euthanized in 2013 at age 30 due to old age. There were suspicions that he may have been suffering from cancer at the time of his death, but this was not confirmed by testing due to his advanced age and concerns that testing would only cause unnecessary suffering. In April 2015, Crestview Genetics produced two colts cloned from Storm Cat's cells. Unfortunately one died in a paddock accident not long after being photographed for a Vanity Fair article on Crestview Genetics and equine cloning. The surviving colt was ineligible for racing in any major racing nation but according to the article was intended to be tried as a polo pony or as a sire of polo ponies.
Videos:
Sire rankings (list credit to American Classic Pedigrees)
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Led the American general sire list in 1999 and 2000; 2nd in 1994; 4th in 2004; 10th in 2005.
Led the American broodmare sire list in 2010; 4th in 2005 and 2008.
Led the American juvenile sire list in 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998, 1999, and 2002.
Per Arion Pedigrees:
Led the Irish broodmare sire list in 2017; 6th in 2014; 9th in 2011.
4th on the Japanese broodmare sire list in 2013; 7th in 2015; 9th in 2014 and 2016; 10th in 2012.
Led the North American broodmare sire list in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014; 2nd in 2013; 3rd in 2015; 4th in 2016; 5th in 2017; 8th in 2018.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Led the American general sire list in 1999 and 2000; 2nd in 1994 and 1998; 5th in 1995; 4th in 2004; 6th in 2002; 10th in 1993 and 1996.
2nd on the combined English/Irish general sire list in 2000.
Per The Blood-Horse:
Led the American general sire list in 1999 and 2000; 4th in 2004; 5th in 2002.
Led the American broodmare sire list in 2012-2014; second in 2016; third in 2010, 2011, 2015, and 2017; 5th in 2018; 6th in 2005; 7th in 2009, 8th in 2006-2008, and 10th in 2019.
Led the American juvenile sire list in 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2002, and 2004.
