Major Winner Sharp Cat Dead

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Sharp Cat, one of the top racemares of the 1990s, died after foaling an A.P. Indy colt April 21. The colt is on a nurse mare. Sharp Cat, a 14-year-old by Storm Cat, resided at Sheikh Mohammad’s Darley at Gainsborough near Versailles, Ky.

John Ferguson, on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed, bought Sharp Cat in foal to Gone Westfor $3.1 million at the 2003 Keeneland November breeding stock sale from Mill Ridge Sales, agent.

Bred in Kentucky by John Franks, Sharp Cat raced for Prince Ahmed Salman’s The Thoroughbred Corp. and was trained by D. Wayne Lukas. (Lukas also trained Storm Cat’s dam, Terlingua, whose death was reported recently.)

Sharp Cat won 15 of 22 races--14 stakes--and earned $2,032,575 from 1996-98. She was a grade I winner in all three of her racing seasons and captured seven grade I events, including the Acorn, Beldame, Ruffian, and Santa Anita Oaks. She ran second in three grade I stakes, including the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

Sharp Cat was a half-sister to major North American and European winner Royal Anthem and to graded winner Star Recruit. Their dam, In Neon (by Ack Ack), was voted 1998 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year.

As a broodmare, Sharp Cat produced six foals of racing age, five of which are named, including two winners.