Leading sire Storm Cat (Storm Bird--Terlingua, by Secretariat), pensioned from stud duties in 2008, was euthanized Wednesday at the Young family’s Overbrook Farm in Lexington, Ky, at the age of 30 due to complications from infirmities of old age.
Throughout his brilliant career at stud, Storm Cat sired earners of over $127 million, eight champions and 108 graded stakes winners, including five Breeders’ Cup winners. Racing in the colors of his breeder William T. Young, Storm Cat captured the 1985 GI Young America S. at the Meadowlands and was an unlucky runner-up in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at the Big A.
Storm Cat topped the general sire list twice, the juvenile sire list a record seven times and was leading broodmare sire in 2012. Ninety-one of his yearlings have brought $1 million or more at auction. His stud fee rose from $30,000 in 1988 to $500,000.
"Storm Cat was a once-in-a-lifetime horse and the key to the success that Overbrook Farm enjoyed," Overbrook Farm owner William T. Young Jr. said. "My father often said that Storm Cat made him look like a genius."
Ric Waldman, who managed Storm Cat’s stud career added, "Storm Cat was a major impact sire--a major impact on the future of the breed and a major impact on the lives of those of us at Overbrook."
Storm Cat was buried at Overbrook Farm.
Storm Cat was buried at Overbrook Farm.
