Storm Cat's Fee to Stay at $500,000

Storm Cat, the world's most expensive stallion, figures to stay that way. His fee will remain at $500,000.

"We considered going up, but realistically that's the right number," said Ric Waldman of the Young family's Overbrook Farm near Lexington, where the 22-year-old stallion has stood his entire career.

There were several reasons to go up. Storm Cat topped the Keeneland September yearling sale, with a $1,766,731 average. His 15 stakes winners are the most for any stallion this year, and his sons Giant's Causeway  , Hennessy, and Stormy Atlantic   rank first, second, and fourth, respectively, on the sires of 2-year-olds list. Storm Cat is fifth.

Storm Cat (Storm Bird--Terlingua, by Secretariat) impregnated 95 of the 109 mares he covered in 2005. So how many will he cover in 2006?

"We don't set a number going into the season, but we'll cut back," Waldman said. "We figure out the demand, the mares that are on the book, and how he does during the season."