Storm Cat pensioned

[Texarkana]

Wow, the breeding world took a huge hit this week. First Sadler's Wells, now Storm Cat.

Storm Cat pensioned at 25 (http://www.drf.com/news/article/94503.html)

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The great American sire Storm Cat has been pensioned from stud duty, Overbrook Farm announced Tuesday.

The 25-year-old Storm Bird horse had shown declining fertility this year and has three mares in foal, according to Ric Waldman, who managed the stallion for Overbrook. Storm Cat covered more than 30 mares in 2008 at a fee of $300,000, down from his $500,000 fee in 2007.



Storm Cat will remain at Overbrook in Lexington for the remainder of his days.

[summerhorse]

What a bummer. Well at least he'll have a nice retirement.

[dressagetraks]

Wow, so that money train ends.

I'll bet three mare owners are thanking their lucky stars, and the rest are scrambling to replan. Probably too late in TB world to get booked with another stallion, though, isn't it?

[ArtilleryHill]

His fertility was about 70 percent last year, and he is 25 this year, so I think to a certain degree fertility troubles were somewhat expected. Then, too, word of his fertility problems was out fairly early this season, so I imagine people with good mares were able to get in to other stallions. But, like you said, those three mare owners must be feeling pretty lucky!

[Glimmerglass]

So no more $TUD book sequel (http://www.amazon.com/Stud-Adventures-Breeding-Kevin-Conley/dp/1582341842)?

The shift in Storm Cat has been cited in this thread back in Oct 2007 with a drop in the rate and the fertility percentages (http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=118270)

Enjoy the rest of your days just being a horse and not the Overbrook ATM machine :)

[Linny]

It is late by my guess is that most of the mares in his book are high quality and most stud managers would be able to make room for them.

Enjoy a happy retirement Storm Cat, you have earned it.

[QHJockee]

End of an era. I used to have an old boyfriend whose first job out of college was rubbing Storm Cat....when he stood for a puny and paltry $30,000

[time fault]

I think it's about time for the guy.

[GreenMachine]

I loved this blogger's take (http://leftatthegate.blogspot.com/2008/05/storm-cat-packs-it-in.html) on the news. ;) Enjoy retirement, Storm Cat.

Does this mean A.P. Indy takes over as the U.S. stud with the highest fee?

[WhiteCamry]

Wow, the breeding world took a huge hit this week. First Sadler's Wells, now Storm Cat.

Storm Cat pensioned at 25 (http://www.drf.com/news/article/94503.html)

Does this mean Namesake will step into the shed?

[hitchinmygetalong]

I'm the most deeply-devout cynic in the world. Overbrook is a prime location for an upscale golf community. My jaded opinion is that when Storm Cat dies, it will be the end of the Overbrook era, and horses will be shifted to other farms and the bulldozers will move in.

People who gasp and say, "Never!" need only look at the disaster (http://hamburgplace-lexington-ky.com/WarAdmiralPlace.aspx) that was Hamburg Place Farm (http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Hamburg.html).

[Texarkana]

I'm the most deeply-devout cynic in the world. Overbrook is a prime location for an upscale golf community. My jaded opinion is that when Storm Cat dies, it will be the end of the Overbrook era, and horses will be shifted to other farms and the bulldozers will move in.

People who gasp and say, "Never!" need only look at the disaster (http://hamburgplace-lexington-ky.com/WarAdmiralPlace.aspx) that was Hamburg Place Farm (http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Hamburg.html).

I'm not a Lexington resident, so I can't speak for the property values. But I definitely wouldn't gasp and say, "Never!"

I mean, look at Glen Riddle (http://www.glenriddle.com/index.html) now...

[WhiteCamry]

I'm the most deeply-devout cynic in the world. Overbrook is a prime location for an upscale golf community. My jaded opinion is that when Storm Cat dies, it will be the end of the Overbrook era, and horses will be shifted to other farms and the bulldozers will move in.

People who gasp and say, "Never!" need only look at the disaster (http://hamburgplace-lexington-ky.com/WarAdmiralPlace.aspx) that was Hamburg Place Farm (http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Hamburg.html).

Phooey!

[lesson junkie]

If Lexington can't protect open space the rest of us are toast!!

[QHJockee]

I think Lexington has a pretty good long term plan NOW- I know the CRP (Conservation Resource PRogram) was in full swing last time I was in the loop, which was about 5-6 years ago. Like many other places, the housing boom created expansion few could have dreamt of. I'm not saying it is for the bad, but I do wish places like Lexington would have been a little more prepared. I saw the growth of Hamburg from horse pastures to the shopping mecca it is now and that has been in just 7 years. It is a travesty because once farmland is gone, it is most likely gone forever.

[cloudyandcallie]

I think it is great that another old horse has lived to his mid20s. wish the broodmares could be pensioned off like that instead of being sold for 500 dollars to be, well...............when they are barren.
horses like Storm Cat and Spectacular Bid and Affirmed and Seattle Slew are horses that people should follow for breeding...............they lived long healthy lives, and sired good horses. breed for durability, not just speed!

[Texarkana]

I think it is great that another old horse has lived to his mid20s. wish the broodmares could be pensioned off like that instead of being sold for 500 dollars to be, well...............when they are barren.
horses like Storm Cat and Spectacular Bid and Affirmed and Seattle Slew are horses that people should follow for breeding...............they lived long healthy lives, and sired good horses. breed for durability, not just speed!

Ummm... many, many broodmares are pensioned like that. Most of the major breeding farms in KY will pension any broodmare to the property that has lived there X number of years.

It's great to have opinions and want to learn more about the sport. But you should always check your facts before asserting those opinions. ;)

P.S. Storm Cat had a lifetime 8 starts,-- 6 as a 2y/o and 2 as a 3y/o. I'm not sure I'd necessarily use him as an example for "durability" with the likes of Spectacular Bid.

[Linny]

Bid sired alot of durable horses, slow but durable. Many were eventing and hunting late in their teens!
Storm Cat is reknowned as the poster boy for a sire who throws unsoundness.

Can't disagree about Affirmed or Slew though.

[Texarkana]

Bid sired alot of durable horses, slow but durable. Many were eventing and hunting late in their teens!
Storm Cat is reknowned as the poster boy for a sire who throws unsoundness.

Can't disagree about Affirmed or Slew though.

I agree with you Linny.

If one wants to be really nit-picky, one could almost say Storm Cat helped turned the tide to our current trend of standing lightly-raced, precocious juveniles for exorbitant amounts of money.