New York Watch: Hysterical Cat
Talk about a catalogue update. Hysterical
Cat, a full-brother to a colt who sells tonight in the second and final session
of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga NY Bred Preferred Yearling sale, ran away to an
impressive debut victory over New York-breds in the second race today at
Saratoga Race Course.
Hysterical Cat joins the New York Watch series, which profiles up-and-comers that have recently cleared the maiden ranks at Aqueduct, Belmont Park, and Saratoga. His page is located at http://www.nyra.com/nywatch/hystericalcat.html.
No secret as the 8-5 favorite in the field of seven, Hysterical Cat was asked for speed early by John Velazquez, and the bay colt delivered by dueling with Read the Contract through an opening quarter of 21.84. Clear at the top of the stretch after his early challenger faltered, Hysterical Cat was kept to task in the stretch and found the wire 3 ½ lengths in front of Crea’s Law and stopped the timer in 58.26 for five furlongs.
Hysterical
Cat is trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by WinStar Farm, the same team behind
his freshman sire Bluegrass Cat, winner of the 2005 Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct
and the 2006 Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.
Bluegrass Cat, who stands at WinStar Farm, is off to a fast start at stud, having been represented by 11 winners so far in 2010.
Offered at
last year’s Saratoga NY Bred Preferred Yearling sale, Hysterical Cat
failed to meet his reserve when the bidding stopped at $72,000 and was
subsequently acquired privately by WinStar.
“We
always support our stallions, and [WinStar President & CEO] Doug Cauthen
saw him at the sale and liked him,” said the farm’s Vice President
and Racing Manager Elliot Walden.
Walden is hopeful Hysterical Cat will take after his sire – who finished second in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes – and improve with age and distance.
“We felt like he was a colt with a lot of speed, yet we think he’ll be able to go long,” said Walden. “Bluegrass Cat didn’t do his best running until he was three, so that gives us reason to believe he’ll continue to progress.”
Hysterical Cat is a half-brother to El Scorpio, who has won three races from seven starts, including an optional claimer at Del Mar on July 25. They are out of the stakes-winning and Grade 3-placed mare Then She Laughs, whose sire Distorted Humor also stands at WinStar Farm.
“We like the Bluegrass Cat-Distorted Humor cross and believe it will be effective,” said Walden.