From Ballena Vista Farm
RAMONA, Calif. (June 25, 2019) — Grade I winner and Grade I sire Bluegrass Cat has been sold to Nimet Arif Kurtel to stand at his Karacabey Boarding Stud near Izmit, Turkey; where he will join Victory Gallop, Lion Heart and Corinthian. He is scheduled to depart Ballena Vista Farm late June for Sancal Racing at Elmendorf Farm in Kentucky prior to shipping overseas.
A multiple stakes winner at two, Bluegrass Cat took the Grade I Haskell by seven lengths during his sophomore campaign. He also finished second to Barbaro in the Kentucky Derby, finished second in the Belmont and second in the Travers that season.
Trained by Todd A. Pletcher for owner breeder Winstar Farm, LLC Bluegrass Cat retired with earnings of $1.7 million.
The 2003 son of Storm Cat is out of the multiple stakes producing A. P. Indy broodmare She’s a Winner.
Bluegrass Cat has sired 33 stakes winners and one champion in his career. From ten crops of racing age, Bluegrass Cat runners have earned more than $42 million, with his average starter earning of $72,000.
Bluegrass Cat began his stud career at Winstar Farm and has resided for the last five years at Ballena Vista Farm where he continued to have progeny earnings from three to five million dollars each season.
“Bluegrass Cat was our first choice to bring to California to enhance the west coast breeding industry. Each year, we had the horse, we received numerous inquiries regarding selling/moving the horse. The past few weeks interest intensified and we have had several parties pursuing Bluegrass Cat. Entities from Australia and South America also expressed solid interest in the horse. We ultimately settled on an outstanding operation in Turkey for Bluegrass Cat. Mr. Nimet Arif Kurtel will support him with his own mares with plans to race the offspring. He will also have available a few limited seasons to other breeders. “Bluegrass Cat will be missed not only by us at Ballena Vista Farm but the California breeders who supported him,” said Ballena Vista Farm manager Mike Jimenez.