Saturday, 9 February 2008

All About Cat Dreams

2008 is going to be an exciting year, not least because two of my first crop (2001) boys have their first two-year-olds this year, Certain Storm and Cat Dreams, both sons of the big man Storm Cat.

I actually have very high hopes for Cat Dreams. He is beautifully bred, being out of J J'sdream, a multiple stakes winning Glitterman mare. He only made one start, which he won. Unfortunately, he sustained a career ending injury in that race, though I am not sure what that injury is/was. He started his career at Pepper Oaks Farm in California for a $4,000 fee. He was well supported in his first year with 64 mares. I have 44 live foals listed for him, which I will of course be keeping an eye on. I will report on them as the season progresses. He was also supported by B Wayne Hughes, who was his owner during his short racing career, and he sent some decent mares to Cat Dreams, including Siphonophora, a Siphon half sister to Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos, and Ma Guerre, a graded-placed half sister to Louisiana Derby winner Mighty. Hopefully he should get some decent runners.

So far I have added two of them to my Crop of 2006 to follow closely: Marleau, a grey colt out of Ascalon (Two Punch) , and Ancient Future, the chestnut filly out of Ma Guerre. I will probably add one more, maybe the Siphonophora filly, which has not been named yet.

Bigger name freshman sires this year include Derby and Preakness winner Smarty Jones, Belmont winner Birdstone, Travers winner Ten Most Wanted, Subarban H winner Peace Rules and Florida Derby winner Friends Lake. But yet, I think Cat Dreams can compete with any of them. He is by a sire of sires out of a multiple stakes winning mare and showed brilliance in his only outing. When looking at his conformation photo, you can see he is a son of Storm Cat.

Can he beat the odds and become a great sire? I sure hope so - I think he has the genes to do it.

I already said it, but I will say it again, this year is all about Cat Dreams!

(Cat Dreams - 2001 bay horse - Storm Cat x J J'sdream, by Glitterman)

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