Canadian Turf S. (gr. III)
(gr. IIIT , 8f ,)
COURAGEOUS CAT
(B h,
124
lb) $90,000
Storm Cat —Tranquility Lake , by
Rahy
B—Pam & Martin Wygod,
KY.;
O—Wygod, Pam and Martin;
T—William I. Mott
Cherokee Artist
(B h,
120
lb) $30,000
Cherokee Run —Race Artist , by
Mr. Prospector
B—J. Mack Robinson,
KY.;
O—J. Mack Robinson;
T—H. Graham Motion
Jet Propulsion
(B g,
122
lb) $15,000
Double Honor —Her Jet , by
Northjet (IRE)
B—Farnswoth Farms,
FL.;
O—Farnsworth Stables LLC;
T—Martin D. Wolfson
Margins: head, 1½, 1. Others: Pickapocket 118($7,500) , Le Grand Cru 120($4,500) , Vanquisher 118($3,000) , Star Plus (ARG) 118 , Mambo Meister 122 , Rahy's Attorney 124 . Winning Jockey, Garrett K. Gomez.
It should hardly have come as a surprise that Courageous Cat went off as the odds-on favorite in the Feb. 20 Canadian Turf Stakes (gr. IIIT) at a mile at Gulfstream Park. After all, he was beaten just a half-length by major miler Goldikova in a runner-up effort in the TVG BreedersÕ Cup Mile (gr. IT) in November at Santa Anita.
Courageous Cat captured the Canadian Turf in 1:31.58, about a fifth of a second slower than the course record, but only by a head over 26-1 Cherokee Artist. Courageous Cat recorded a 103 Beyer Speed Figure, the co-second highest of the year on turf.
A homebred for Martin and Pam Wygod of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., Courageous Cat was one of three graded stakes winners of 2009 for the Wygods. Courageous Cat won last yearÕs National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (gr. IIT) at Saratoga and the A Gift Stakes on grass at Belmont Park
The best of the WygodsÕ three 2009 graded stakes winners was Life Is Sweet, who closed out the year with a victory in the BreedersÕ Cup LadiesÕ Classic (gr. I). Life Is Sweet won three other graded stakes last year, including the Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (gr. I). She finished second in the Feb. 13 Santa Maria Handicap (gr. II) in her 5-year-old debut.
The WygodsÕ other 2009 graded winner was Dixie Chatter, who was raced in partnership with Herman Sarkowsky. Retired from racing in June, Dixie Chatter is standing his first year at stud at the WygodsÕ River Edge Farm near Buellton, Calif. His fee is $5,000.
Storm Cat, sire of Courageous Cat, is the sire of 173 stakes winners. A two-time leading sire, Storm Cat is pensioned at the Young familyÕs Overbrook Farm near Lexington.ÑD.S
