by Jeff Lowe
Storm Cat, the world’s leading commercial sire in recent years, has been pensioned due to infertility at age 25.
Ric Waldman, stallion operations manager for Overbrook Farm in Lexington, said Storm Cat impregnated only three mares this season. He got 68 of 98 mares in foal last year, when his fertility rate dropped from 85% to 70%.
“His statistics for [impregnating] mares last year were erratic but he did finish the season very strong,” Waldman said. “This year he wasn’t [impregnating] mares and his semen quality was dropping off as well. His health is good for a 25-year-old horse.”
Waldman announced the decision on Tuesday, a day after Coolmore revealed that Sadler’s Wells, a perennial leading sire in Europe, also has been pulled from stud duty due to infertility.
Storm Cat entered stud in 1988 for an initial fee of $30,000, and Grade 1 winners Harlan and November Snow emerged from his first crop. By 2002, he stood for an American high of $500,000, and he remained at that price until this year, when he was lowered to $300,000.
The Storm Bird stallion out of multiple Grade 2 winner Terlingua, by Secretariat, led the North American general sire list in 1999 and 2000 and the juvenile sire list a record seven times.
Through May 12, Storm Cat’s progeny had earned $112,209,693, the all-time record for a North American sire. His 160 stakes winners (12%) include 98 graded or group stakes winners and 31 Grade or Group 1 winners.
With such lofty success, Storm Cat occupied a level to himself in the auction market. He accounted for the year’s top-priced yearling five times in six years from 2000 to ’05, including recent group stakes winner Jalil, who brought $9.7-million at the ’05 Keeneland September yearling sale.
“He took up the mantle from the start and was the most desired stallion in the latter part of the 20th century and first part of the 21st century, there’s no mistake,” said Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland’s director of sales. “He’s not only considered to be a sire of sires but his daughters will leave a lasting effect on our industry.”
At least 24 sons of Storm Cat have sired Group or Grade 1 winners, including Giant’s Causeway, the 2000 European Horse of the Year who stands at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky. Three sons—Hennessy, Tale of the Cat, and Stormy Atlantic—have earned leading juvenile sire honors this decade.
“His influence on the breed is what contributed to his high value,” Waldman said. “The success of his sons is well known but you’re just starting to see the widespread success of his broodmares, and they were a result of the upgrade in mares that he enjoyed as he became more successful and his stud fee increased. Some of his best daughters have not even begun their broodmare careers or they are at the very early stages.”
Storm Cat’s top American runners include 1994 Preakness (G1) and Belmont (G1) Stakes winner Tabasco Cat, 2002 champion two-year-old filly Storm Flag Flying, ’04 champion two-year-old filly Sweet Catomine, 1999 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Cat Thief, and seven-time Grade 1 winner Sharp Cat.
Storm Cat’s daughters have produced 97 stakes winners, including Grade 1 winners and sires Buddha and Sky Mesa.
Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer