$2.2 Million Storm Cat Colt Belongs to Sheikh Mohammed, Romans Says

A $2.2-million Storm Cat -- Brushed Halory colt, which was the second-highest-priced 2-year-old sold at public auction this year, now belongs to Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai, according to Dale Romans. The trainer, who signed the sale ticket for the colt at the Fasig-Tipton Florida juvenile auction in February, said Wednesday at Churchill Downs that he made a deal with representatives of Sheikh Mohammed to sell the colt to them privately before the auction ended.

Randy Hartley and Dean De Renzo consigned the colt to the Fasig-Tipton sale for his breeder, Bill Casner and Kenny Troutt's WinStar Farm (in the name of Racehorse Management), and Florida-based pinhooker Jimmy Gladwell, who had purchased a 50% interest in the son of Storm Cat last year. Gladwell, who helps Sheikh Mohammed's bloodstock manager, John Ferguson, look for 2-year-olds to buy, and said that Sheikh Mohammed was aware of his ownership interest in the colt prior to the Fasig-Tipton auction.

"I didn't actually have a buyer; I bought the colt and was going to syndicate him," Romans said. "WinStar was going to keep a piece if I didn't get him sold out. I had all kinds of deals working. But I ended up selling him to Sheikh Mohammed before the sale was over after he didn't get that $16-million horse (world record setter The Green Monkey)."

The Storm Cat colt's dam, Brushed Halory (by Broad Brush), was a grade III winner. She is a half-sister to 1998 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. II) winner Halory Hunter, European group II winner Van Nistelrooy, and grade III winners Key Lory and Prory.

"After the fact, I wished I had kept him because every single person I ran into, without my asking, was wanting to buy in," Romans said. "They thought he was a good play because he had a stallion's pedigree. But I was stressed about it when I did it. I've done it (bought a horse without knowing who would end up racing it) a lot of times on a lower level, but never at this level. I figured it was the right time when I could step up and take a shot. I wouldn't mind doing it again and following through with it."

Romans trains Sharp Humor who is scheduled to run in Saturday's Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). WinStar Farm recently acquired an interest in Sharp Humor from Purdedel Stable.