BLUEGRASS CAT “GETS WITH THE PROGRAM” By Executive Director Tracy Egan Kentucky Sire Bluegrass Cat is joining New York State’s increasingly robust stallion roster. Vinery, Ltd. and WinStar Farm announced late on Friday afternoon, Sept. 30th that the Storm Cat son will be standing at Sugar Maple Farm in the Empire State next spring. Currently number five on the Second Crop Sire list, Bluegrass Cat has sired five stakes winners and 15 stakes performers, and his runners have earned more than $3.5 million. His top earner is graded-stakes winner Kathmanblu ($557,439) and he’s had nine two-year-old winners so far this year among his second-crop starters. Zow, winner of the Gold and Roses Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on September 2nd, was also impressive breaking his maiden at Belmont Park in July. New York breeders should take note that Bluegrass Cat has had impressive books in his past two seasons and comes from the female family of La Troienne. Her family has produced such Grade I-siring stallions as Buckpasser, Caerleon, The Axe II, Private Account and Woodman, as well as former New York sire Belong to Me. In a press release issued by the new partners, Vinery President Tom Ludt said, “We identified Bluegrass Cat as a top stallion and approached WinStar with the idea of partnering. We wanted to give the New York breeders another reason to stay home, and have the type of stallion that Kentucky breeders will follow. At only eight years old, Bluegrass Cat has it all: race record, looks and one of the best pedigrees in the stud book. Already at stud, he has several current graded stakes runners, big books and a lot of foals in the pipeline. So we feel like everything is in place for him to be the leading sire in New York for many years to come.” Elliot Walden, President and CEO of WinStar, added that New York is “a market we’ve looked into for a long time now because of the unlimited potential… WinStar plans on breeding as many mares to him in New York as we did in Kentucky.” Bluegrass Cat stood for $25,000 in 2011. His New York stud fee has not yet been announced. .