When Hip No. 108 at the Keeneland September yearling sale was hammered down to Chiefswood Stables for $285,000 at the Sept. 13 session, it marked the end of the Storm Cat era.
Hip No. 108, a filly out of Western Princess consigned by Denali Stud, agent for Earle Mack, was the last yearling to go through the auction ring for a sire who set records of public auction prices. The previous night, a Storm Cat--Halo America colt was sold at Keeneland for $320,000.
Storm Cat, now pensioned at age 27 at the Young family’s Overbrook Farm, was North America’s leading sire of sale yearlings seven times and accounted for 24 yearlings that sold for $3 million or more. In addition to his success in the public sale ring, Storm Cat was leading sire by progeny earnings on the racetrack in 1999 and 2000.
For Ric Waldman, the bloodstock adviser who managed most of Storm Cat’s breeding career, the sale of the stallion’s last yearling was another in a series of finalities relating to Storm Cat.
"For me, the sale of these last two yearlings is anti-climatic because his breeding career and fertility ended several years ago," Waldman said. "He was fortunate in that his rise as a sire coincided with the rise of the market. Everything was cooking along for him and for the horse market and that allowed him to be so prominent. It is astounding how he was so far ahead of the market."
The third and last foal from Storm Cat’s last crop—a filly produced from grade III winner Richwoman—was bought back for $220,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale of selected yearlings in August.