Cat Dreams: Indiana sire has early Triple Crown contender.
Caracortado, the undefeated winner of the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita today, is by the Storm Cat sire Cat Dreams, now listed as standing at stud at Still Creek Farms in Brookville, Indiana, for $1,500 live foal for owner Triple ‘R’ Thoroughbred Syndicate. The horse began his career in California at Pepper Oaks Farm for $4,000 and stood his last year there in 2009 at Tommy Town Thoroughbreds in Santa Ynez for an advertised fee of $2,000, as the property of Bongo Racing Stables and B. Wayne Hughes — owner of Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Ky. Mr. Hughes had purchased the horse at the Keeneland September yearling sale in 2002 for $475,000, and he won his lone and only start at 2 by 8 lengths at Churchill Downs for the Spendthrift owner.
Cat Dreams is out of the top-class speed mare J J’sDream, who won 13 races and earned more than a million between ages 2 and 5. Cat Dreams wasn’t as sound as his illustrious dam, a multiple graded stakes winner who made 40 starts, but he was fast, winning a 6-furlong maiden special in 1:10.61. With his pedigree and promise, he was supported by Mr. Hughes at stud, just as he had sent and supported Malibu Moon to Country Life in Maryland his first years at stud. Malibu Moon won one of 2 starts total and like Cat Dreams did all his racing at 2. He has since become one of A.P. Indy’s best sons at stud and now stands at Spendthrift as the rare non-stakes winner who made it as a sire.
Cat Dream’s oldest foals are 4-year-olds this year. They’ve shown speed, too. His first starter, Cat Dreamer, set a track record of :50.84 for 4 1/2 furlongs at Hollywood Park in 2008, and Caracortado was a stakes winner at 2 — and so far is his sire’s only stakes winner. Judging by the change in ownership, it appears that Spendthrift gave up on Cat Dreams after his first crop didn’t set any rivers on fire, but Caracortado, a gelding who sported a body clip in the Lewis, is 5 for 5 and on the early Triple Crown trail. He’s out of a daughter of Maria’s Mon, sire of Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos, but the family is mostly known for 2-year-old stakes winners. Time will tell if Caracortado can stretch out more, though the way he won today was promising.
CatDreams has done well with the limited starters.
TommyTown was a bad fit because they so much invested
in Old Topper and the new sire thats standing there WhatsTheScript. I thought enough of Caracortado to put him in my RoadToTheRoses stable. The two Tiznow Colts were very vulernable in the RobtLewis since never being around two turns.
Caracortado showed alot of heart
Storm Cat was an incredible sire, and sire of sires. Caracortado looks great right now as a Derby prospect. I pegged him as the wild card in the Robert B. Lewis stakes last week and I’m a huge fan now that he’s rewarded my faith in him. He has a fantastic physical presence, I love the way her moves in full stride.
Cat Dreams should be well received in Indiana this year — we have him booked to some very nice mares that should show off his pedigree — mares by Rahy, Carson City, Seattle Slew, Quiet American, Forty Niner, Maria’s Mon, Nureyev, Crafty Prospector, Fusaichi Pegasus, and Mr. Prospector — and these are just the mares we own — he’s had a lot of interest since entering Indiana in Oct. 09′ and we think he might have a book of about fifty mares especially if Caracortado keeps winning — thank you for giving Cat Dreams the exposure he deserves.