Expensive Storm Cats

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

Couple other big priced Storm Cats have gone through the ring.

2000
Tasmanian Tiger  6,800,000
Career Earned about 13,000
     
Pedigree Query states the following:

Sold for $6.8 million as a yearling. Gelded Aug 2002 and sold to race in Hong Kong. Renamed \"The Pioneer\" in Hong Kong. Hong Kong race record- 22 starts, 2 wins, 1 2nd, 0 3rds, 4 4ths.

Discussed in the book $tud: Adventures in Breeding by Kevin Conley. Referred to as \"hip number 356,\" Keeneland September Sale, 2000. http://www.pedigreequery.com/tasmanian+tiger

Half to Storm Song. That gelded in his 3YO year slays me.

2001
Van Nistelrooy  6,400,000
Career Earned     232,000

At 2 Won Tyros S. (IRE), Galileo Ebf Futurity S. -G2 (IRE), 2nd National S. -G1 (IRE), 3rd Royal Lodge S. -G2 (ENG)

A $6.4-million purchase by Demi O'Byrne for Susan Magnier
Annual Timeform Rating: 108 (@2)

Commenced stud duties in New Zealand 2003, Standing at Trelawney Stud, Cambridge. Stud Fee $15000+gst\"
http://www.pedigreequery.com/van+nistelrooy

Half to Halory Hunter

Both of these were apparently purchased by Demi O\'Bryne who is right back at it with multi million dollar Storm Cat purchases for the current large Keeneland sale. I believe he works primarly for Coolmore. Its a good thing he doesnt have to insure the earnings of these horses he\'s apparently buying for them, because the history of these mega purchases is that they don\'t come close to panning out.

Guess Giant\'s Causeway panned out, but think hes a homebred and can\'t see that one being a top U.S. sire in three years. These guys are stealing.

Bring TGraph a million to spend prior to the B.C. Juvenile and I guarantee you\'ll get more horse than Demi O\'Bryne is buying.

[NoCarolinaTony]

Giant\'s Causeway will turn out to be a terrific Turf Sire and Good Dirt Sire. Time will tell, but the early returns are there already for his turf pedigree.

NC Tony

[richiebee]

CTC:

  Looking at Ashford Stud\'s (Coolmore\'s Ky farm) stallion roster, you see just how much of an investment they have made in Storm Cat, who I seem to recall was trained by Long Jon Sheppard.

  They stand 17 stallions at Ashford. Seven of them (Black Minnaloushe, Giant\'s Causeway, Hennessy, High Yield, Hold That Tiger, Tale of the Cat and Van Nistelrooy) are sons of SC. Two others (Johannesburg and Lion Heart) are grandson\'s of SC, being by Hennessy and Tale of the Cat, respectively.

  Storm Cat descends from Northern Dancer, the all time sire of sires. His dam, Terlingua (by Secretariat) (some have argued that Secretariat was more influential as a broodmare sire than a sire of runners) will be best remembered as the thoroughbred that got a certain white haired quarterhorse trainer started.

  Other notable sons/ daughters of SC not previously mentioned in your review: Storm Flag Flying (BC Juv Fillies), Desert Stormer (BC Sprint), Sweet Catomine (BC Juvenile Fillies) and Vision and Verse (millionaire, second to Lemon Drop Kid in the Belmont).

  My recollection is that SC was a Pennsylvania Bred. Danzig, Storm Cat, Smarty-- not bad for a state not known for breeding thoroughbreds. Also Lil E Tee?

  Making first live trip to Belmont for fall meet. I am certain to get tortured at the windows, but hopefully will get a clean trip on the Belt Parkway.

[miff]

Rich,

The BELT has been great all week, early and late, it definitely figures to \"bounce\"today. Good Luck!!

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

Richie, very thorough rundown. Yes, Lil E Tee was a Penn bred. I was aware of all the horses you listed but for Vision and Verse. To my mind he\'s the most important omission from a Classic perspective.

The grandsons of Storm Cat are gonna be tough to knock.

I will add Vision and Verse to the list of Classic Distance accomplished Storm Cats. Now the list is

Tabasco Cat
Cat Thief
Storm Flag Flying

Vision and Verse
Giant\'s Causeway

If you consider the number of good mares they have been mating Storm Cat to,  its underachieving to have gotten only one Classic winning horse and three classic distance winning horses. Each of the above horses brought a healthy dose of female side breeding to cover the liabilities with the possible expection of Giant\'s Causeway. Thats fair. Thats what breeding is about. Still as good as Storm Cat has been as a general sire, the classic ledger is weak.

Hes a great sire. Others you didn\'t mention if not Classic types were:

Sardula
Cat Appeal
Exploit
Finders Fee
Forest Wildcat
Forestry
Good Reward (2 Grade I 10 mark Turf wins...Heavenly Prize mare)
it goes on and on

You\'re not gonna get an arguement from me hes not an exceptional sire. Its with soundness and distance issues where the scales tip against him and hes been bred repeatedly to the very best mares available.

If all these sale Storm Cat\'s were by Quiet American, I could not make this prediction. But I feel very secure making it because they are by Storm Cat. NONE will win a Grade I at 10 marks or more on the dirt. The Derby winner in 2007 will be by a sire that passed some soundness and ability but not break neck front end ability. He won\'t be by Storm Cat.

 
richiebee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CTC:
>
>   Looking at Ashford Stud\'s (Coolmore\'s Ky farm)
> stallion roster, you see just how much of an
> investment they have made in Storm Cat, who I seem
> to recall was trained by Long Jon Sheppard.
>
>   They stand 17 stallions at Ashford. Seven of
> them (Black Minnaloushe, Giant\'s Causeway,
> Hennessy, High Yield, Hold That Tiger, Tale of the
> Cat and Van Nistelrooy) are sons of SC. Two others
> (Johannesburg and Lion Heart) are grandson\'s of
> SC, being by Hennessy and Tale of the Cat,
> respectively.
>
>   Storm Cat descends from Northern Dancer, the all
> time sire of sires. His dam, Terlingua (by
> Secretariat) (some have argued that Secretariat
> was more influential as a broodmare sire than a
> sire of runners) will be best remembered as the
> thoroughbred that got a certain white haired
> quarterhorse trainer started.
>
>   Other notable sons/ daughters of SC not
> previously mentioned in your review: Storm Flag
> Flying (BC Juv Fillies), Desert Stormer (BC
> Sprint), Sweet Catomine (BC Juvenile Fillies) and
> Vision and Verse (millionaire, second to Lemon
> Drop Kid in the Belmont).
>
>   My recollection is that SC was a Pennsylvania
> Bred. Danzig, Storm Cat, Smarty-- not bad for a
> state not known for breeding thoroughbreds. Also
> Lil E Tee?
>
>   Making first live trip to Belmont for fall meet.
> I am certain to get tortured at the windows, but
> hopefully will get a clean trip on the Belt
> Parkway.
>
>
>
> Edited 1 times. Last edit at 09/14/05 09:57AM by
> richiebee.