From Harris Farms
COALINGA, Calif. (Oct. 21, 2024) – Dual-surface Grade 1 winner Catholic Boy has joined the roster at Harris Farms for the 2025 breeding season. The multimillionaire son of More Than Ready, who is the Leading Second Crop Sire by Average Winning Distance, will stand for $6,000, Live Foal.
Catholic Boy campaigned three seasons, winning six graded stakes and becoming only the third
American 3-year-old in history to win a Grade 1 race on both dirt and turf, coming home best in both the Travers Stakes (G1) (defeating champions Good Magic and Wonder Gadot) and the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1). Those victories elevated him into the elite company of the legendary Kentucky Derby winners Secretariat and California Chrome.
In a career hallmarked by versatility, Catholic Boy earned $2,134,000, with seven victories and two seconds in his 13 starts at nine different tracks. He broke his maiden at two, going 7.5 furlongs on the turf at Gulfstream Park. Shipping to Saratoga, he scored in the With Anticipation S. (G3T) going a mile and one-sixteenth. After a close fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) at Del Mar, he romped by nearly five lengths in his dirt debut, the nine-furlong Remsen Stakes (G2) over the main track at Aqueduct.
In addition to his Grade 1 victories, he also accounted for the Pennine Ridge Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park and placed in the Sam F. Davis S. (G3) during his sophomore season. Returning at four, he won the mile and one-sixteenth Dixie Stakes (G2T) at Pimlico and was runner-up in the Suburban Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park.
Catholic Boy represents one of the most richly successful and thriving sire lines worldwide. More Than Ready was a champion sire on two continents and sired G1 winners in seven countries. His sons have sired G1 and Classic winners in North America, Australia, and his son Gimmiethegreenlight (Aus) has led the sire lists in South Africa on multiple occasions.
“I feel Catholic Boy has unlimited potential, and will be a major player. He is one of the best stallions Harris Farms has had, and we have had several,” said John Harris, President and Chairman of the Board of Harris Farms.
“Catholic Boy had speed that could carry, winning Grade 1’s on both dirt and turf at a mile and
one-quarter. We are very excited for the opportunity to stand him in California,” said Jonny
Hilvers, General Manager of Harris Farms.
Catholic Boy was produced by Song of Bernadette, a daughter of Bernardini from the prolific
family of champions Hawk Wing, Lucky Song, and La Lorgnette.
Catholic Boy is the sire of eight stakes horse in his first two crops from eight different broodmare
sires. His progeny’s average winning distance is a robust 7.69 furlongs.
For further information, contact Jonny Hilvers at Harris Farms: (559) 884-2859 or stallions@harrisfarms.com.