Cat Thief To Overbrook in 2001

William T. Young's homebred Cat Thief, who is being aimed for a repeat win in the $4-million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4, will enter stud in 2001 at his owner's Overbrook Farm near Lexington. The farm has not decided on a fee, but there is speculation in some quarters that the 4-year-old colt might stand for $50,000 if he wins the Classic and between $30,000 and $35,000 if he doesn't. Regardless of his fee, the son of leading sire Storm Cat carries plenty of credentials to stud.

"He's by Storm Cat (whose 2001 fee is $400,000), and he won the best race in America last year," said Overbrook official Ric Waldman. "He's proved durable by virtue of the fact that he started in the Breeders' Cup as a 2-year-old (finishing third) and is still around to give it another go this year. He's out of a durable, multiple graded stakes winner of $620,000, and his second dam is a durable champion and millionaire."

Cat Thief, whose first two dams are Train Robbery (by Alydar) and Track Robbery (by No Robbery), respectively, has won four races and placed in 14 stakes from 29 starts. He is less than $50,000 from the $4 million mark, and his other stakes wins have come in the Swaps (gr. I) and Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (gr. II). His nine graded stakes-placings also include a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I).