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Surf Cat Moves To Rancho San Miguel In California

Veteran stallion Surf Cat, a multiple Grade 2-winning millionaire and the sire of 2017 California Horse of the Year Sircat Sally, will stand at Rancho San Miguel in San Miguel, Calif. during the 2021 breeding season. His fee is $2,500, live foal guarantee.

The 19-year-old son of Storm Cat's multiple graded stakes winner Sir Cat has stood exclusively in California since his retirement from racing in 2009 — originally at historic Old English Rancho and most recently at a small, private farm near Chowchilla.

From nine crops of racing age, Surf Cat has sired 57 winners from 84 starters to date, with lifetime progeny earnings of $4,046,140 and average earnings per starter of $48,168. His five black type runners are led by Sircat Sally, a $552,860-earner who won three graded turf stakes at Santa Anita Park and California-bred Horse of the Year honors from the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association in 2017. He is also represented by the dual Grade 3 winner San Onofre ($402,730).

Conditioned by the late trainer Bruce Headley, Surf Cat won six Grade 2 races from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles from 2005 through 2008: the Swaps Breeders' Cup Stakes and two editions of the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap at Hollywood Park and the Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap and two runnings of the San Carlos Handicap at Santa Anita. He also ran second by a head in Hollywood's 2007 G1 Triple Bend Invitational Handicap en route to earning $1,045,420 from his 23 career starts.

“I am thrilled to have Surf Cat back; he was one of my favorite racehorses,” said owner Marsha Naify, who campaigned Surf Cat with Headley's wife, Aase. “Bruce did such a wonderful job training him. He has never been promoted very heavily as a stallion, but he has had some good runners, and I want to make the most of his remaining breeding years.”

Produced by the five-time winner Trust Greta, a multiple graded stakes-producing daughter of the Mr. Prospector stallion Centrust, Surf Cat hails from the family of leading sire Broad Brush.

“We are thrilled to have Surf Cat come to Rancho San Miguel,” said farm owner/manager Tom Clark. “He has an amazingly strong produce record from his small crops to date. We look forward to working with Marsha to help Surf Cat reach his full potential as a sire.”

Surf Cat joins a 2021 Rancho San Miguel stallion roster that features Curlin to Mischief, Danzing Candy, Heartwood, Northern Causeway, Richard's Kid, Sir Prancealot (Ire), Slew's Tiznow and Tom's Tribute. Inspections of all stallions at the central California farm are available by appointment.

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Surf Cat Relocating to Rancho San Miguel

Surf Cat (Sir Cat–Trust Greta, by Centrust), the sire of graded winner and 2017 California Horse of the Year Sircat Sally and GSW San Onofre, will stand the 2021 breeding season at Rancho San Miguel in San Miguel, CA. He will command a fee of $2,500, live foal guarantee.

A graded winner on dirt and synthetic, short and long, and placed in Grade I company for the late Bruce Headley, Surf Cat has sired 57 winners to date, including the additional stakes horses Tule Fog, K Thirty Eight and Surfing Star.

“We are thrilled to have Surf Cat come to Rancho San Miguel,” said farm owner / manager Tom Clark. “He has an amazingly strong produce record from his small crops to date. We look forward to working with Marsha to help Surf Cat reach his full potential as a sire.”

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Steady Trade Produces $500,000 Karakontie Colt On Tuesday At Keeneland September Sale

Marsha Naify paid $500,000 for a colt by Karakontie to top a day of active commerce during Tuesday's ninth day of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale

Naify also acquired two fillies, one by Jimmy Creed for $35,000 and the other from the first crop of Gormley for $30,000. She the session's leading buyer with a total of three purchases for $565,000.

The $500,000 colt, consigned by Gainesway, agent, is the first foal out of the Speightstown mare Untouch, a half-sister to recent Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve third-place finisher Mr. Big News. The colt is from the family of Canadian Horse of the Year Glorious Song, Eclipse Award winner Devil's Bag and Grade 2 winner Saint Ballado.

Gainesway sold a total of 29 horses for $1,337,000 to lead consignors on Tuesday.

A total of 253 yearlings sold for $6,484,100 during the session, for an average of $25,629 and a median of $15,000. With three days remaining in the 12-day sale, Keeneland has sold a total of 1,773 horses for $230,574,800, for an average of $130,048 and a median of $60,000.

On Tuesday, Solis/Litt paid the session's second-highest price of $240,000 for a filly by Jimmy Creed out of the Malibu Moon mare On Reflection. Consigned by Woods Edge Farm, agent, she is from the family of Grade 1 winner Rutherienne and Grade 3 winners Adorable Micol, Adcat, Ruthenia and Oiseau de Feu.

D.J. Stables spent $240,000 on a colt by Speightster who is a half-brother to Grade 2 winner Hotshot Anna. Consigned by Beau Lane Bloodstock, agent for Paul Tackett, he is out of the winning, stakes-placed mare Avalos, by Holy Bull.

The September Sale continues Wednesday and runs through Friday with all sessions beginning at 10 a.m.

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Pricey Karakontie Colt Highlights Book 5 Opener

A colt by Karakontie (Jpn) (Hip 2814) achieved a very rare feat in Keeneland September’s Book 5 opener Tuesday, summoning a session-topping $500,000 from Marsha Naify. The Gainesway stallion had another yearling in the top five lots of the day with a full-sister to graded stakes-bound Spanish Loveaffair (Karakontie {Jpn}) (Hip 3161) bringing $220,000 from Ballyfair Bloodstock.

A total of 253 yearlings brought $6,484,100 Tuesday with an average of $25,629 and a median of $15,000.Fifty-five horses failed to meet their reserves Tuesday.

Throughout the first nine days of trade, 1,880 youngsters sold for a gross of $240,340,300 with an average of $127,841 and median of $62,000. There were 743 RNAs.

“It has been really thin except for top horses in your draft,” said Brian Graves of Gainesway, which bred and consigned the day’s top lot. “The top horses have a lot of action and bring more than you think they will bring and the horses below that are tougher to sell and you really have to adjust your expectations and be willing to let the market say what they are worth.”

Karakontie Colt Sparks Fireworks in Book 5

It is pretty unusual to see a yearling summon $500,000 in Book 5 of Keeneland September, but a colt by Karakontie (Jpn) (Hip 2814) did just that Tuesday, selling to California-based owner Marsha Naify, who did her bidding over the phone.

“The sire can be grass or dirt,” said Naify. “We think the yearling would be a good dirt miler, but he could also go on turf. There is a lot of upside. There were obviously a lot of bidders for that horse, which drove the price up. But, that’s okay. I stuck to my guns and stayed in there.”

The chestnut is out of Untouch (Speightstown), a half-sister to SW and GI Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Mr. Big News (Giant’s Causeway). This is also the family of GISW sire Sligo Bay (Ire). The yearling was bred and consigned by Gainesway, where Naify keeps her broodmares.

“The Karakontie was a drop-dead gorgeous horse,” Gainesway’s Brian Graves said. “He had everything you want to see. I know we were in Book 5, but he had everything you want to see in a Book 1 horse. He had a lot going for him. Physically, he was a standout. He was really athletic with a big, sweeping walk and was correct. He attracted the interest of Maria Niarchos [of Flaxman Holdings, who bred and campaigned Karakontie] and of Marsha Naify, who decided she wasn’t going to leave the sale without him. It culminated to a perfect sale. It is a very good thing for Karakontie. We wish Marsha Naify the best of luck with him.”

With Naify not in attendance at the sale, it was Graves that pointed the colt out to her.

“Brian Graves helped me and my trainer Karen Headley out,” Naify said. “That is who I will be sending the horse to here in California once it gets cold in Kentucky. I send all my purchases back to Gainesway just to stay in Kentucky a little longer.”

She continued, “He was on my short list. I made some other smaller purchases, not like that one of course. There were a couple I lost out on. Everyone else I know who is over there said he was a good-looking horse and of course they have the videos online. I also got another cell phone video sent to me.”

Naify has purchased five yearlings at Keeneland so far, but Hip 2814 is by far the most expensive. Her other purchases include: a $75,000 Liam’s Map filly (Hip 2235), a $70,000 son of Carpe Diem (Hip 1905), a $35,000 daughter of Jimmy Creed (Hip 3064) and a $30,000 filly by Gormley (Hip 2842).

“I am usually pretty conservative on my bidding,” Naify said. “I don’t spend a lot of money at auctions. I look for horses in the more conservative range who could be stars. This one was just special. He just caught my eye. Everybody said he was a great horse and obviously the underbidders thought he was a great horse. Sometimes you have to just go for it.”

She added, “They will all go to Karen. This is the biggest grouping we will have together. I used to have horses with Bruce Headley. He also looked at the video and thought this was a great horse. He still has an eye for the horses.”

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