Haskell Invitational S. (G1) winner and dual classic-placed BLUEGRASS CAT
(Storm Cat), runner-up in Saturday’s Travers S. (G1), has been retired after
sustaining a fracture in his right hind pastern. The WinStar Farm homebred
cooled out in apparently good order after the “Mid-Summer Derby,” but trainer Todd Pletcher
found him lame on Sunday morning, and X-rays discovered the non-displaced
fracture. Owners Bill Casner and Kenny Troutt are considering surgical options
for the injury, which is not life-threatening.
“This horse was just coming into his own,” Pletcher said. “Bluegrass Cat was
bringing his game to a whole new level coming off his performance in the
Haskell. It is quite disappointing that his career has come to an end. He was a
very special horse.”
The bay colt ranked among the leaders of his generation for the past two
seasons. As a juvenile, Bluegrass Cat progressed rapidly from maiden winner to
graded stakes hero, scoring authoritative victories in the Nashua S. (G3) and
Remsen S. (G2). Pletcher elected to take the Tampa Bay route on the Triple Crown
Trail, and his pupil made a successful sophomore debut in the Sam F. Davis S.
After throwing a shoe when second in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and turning in
an uncharacteristic clunker when a distant fourth in the Blue Grass S. (G1),
Bluegrass Cat was widely overlooked in the Kentucky Derby (G1), but he ran a
tremendous race to finish runner-up to the scintillating Barbaro (Dynaformer).
He again performed valiantly in the Belmont S. (G1), enduring a wide trip
throughout but staying on determinedly for runner-up honors. He finally broke
through at the Grade 1 level with a powerhouse, seven-length romp in the
Haskell, his last race prior to his game chase of Bernardini (A.P. Indy) in the
Travers.
Bluegrass Cat was produced by the unraced A.P. Indy mare She’s a Winner,
making him a half-brother to Grade 2 winner Lord of the Game (Saint Ballado).
She’s a Winner is herself a full sister to Grade 2 queen Daydreaming and Grade 3
victor Accelerator, and she is a half-sister to current stakes-winning
three-year-old Harborage (Monarchos). The family traces to champion Numbered
Account (Buckpasser).
Retiring with a mark of 11-5-4-0 and $1,761,280 in earnings, Bluegrass Cat
will enter stud next year at WinStar Farm near Versailles, Kentucky.
“We are clearly disappointed that Bluegrass Cat’s racing career has come to
an end,” said Doug Cauthen, president of WinStar. “We are excited, however, about
his extraordinary prospects as a stallion.”