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Kitten's Joy

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Kitten's Joy
SireEl Prado
GrandsireSadler's Wells
DamKitten's First
DamsireLear Fan
SexStallion
Foaled(2001-05-08)May 8, 2001
DiedJuly 15, 2022(2022-07-15) (aged 21)
CountryUnited States
ColourChestnut
BreederKenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey
OwnerKenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey
TrainerDale L. Romans
Record14: 9-4-0
Earnings$2,075,791[1]
Major wins
Palm Beach Stakes (2004)
Tropical Park Derby (2004)
American Turf Stakes (2004)
Virginia Derby (2004)
Secretariat Stakes (2004)
Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (2004)
Firecracker Breeders' Cup Handicap (2005)
Awards
U.S. Champion Male Turf Horse (2004)
Leading sire in North America (2013, 2018)
Honours
Grade III Kitten's Joy Stakes held at Gulfstream Park
Last updated on May 12, 2020

Kitten's Joy (May 8, 2001 – July 15, 2022) was a Thoroughbred racehorse who was a multiple graded stakes winner and the American Champion Turf Horse of 2004. Since retiring to stud, he became one of the leading sires in North America and has had great success with his runners in Europe.

Background

[edit]

Kitten's Joy was a chestnut stallion who was bred by Ken and Sarah Ramsey at their farm in Nicholasville, Kentucky. Sarah Ramsay's nickname "Kitten" was the basis of the name of the first horse she ever bought, Kitten's First. Kitten's First injured herself in her second start and was retired from racing, but proved to be a "Blue Hen" broodmare. Kitten's First was the dam of not only Kitten's Joy, but also of Precious Kitten (Grade I winner, earned over $1.1 million) and Justenuffheart (stakes winner and successful broodmare). Kitten's First broke a hip during her racing career, resulting in narrowing of her pelvis. She delivered Justenuffheart in 1995 but several of her subsequent foals did not survive. In 2001, Ramsey opted to have a Cesarean section performed on Kitten's First – Kitten's Joy was the resultant foal.[2] Precious Kitten produced two more foals via c-section, including Precious Kitten, before she was euthanized in 2006 due to laminitis.[3][4][5]

Kitten's Joy was sired by El Prado, who in turn was sired by leading Irish sire, Sadler's Wells. El Prado was co-champion as a two-year-old in Ireland with St Jovite, and the first son of Sadler's Wells to retire to stud in North America. El Prado was the leading sire in North America in 2002 thanks in part to multiple Grade I winner Medaglia d'Oro, who went on to become a major sire worldwide.[6]

The Ramseys once put Kitten's Joy up for sale at auction, at the 2003 Ocala Two-Year-Olds-in-Training Sale, with a reserve of $99,000. "We had a live bid of $95,000", said Ramsay. "He (the bidder) called me up after the sale, and didn't want to go to $100,000. We came within $5,000 of selling him."[3] The colt subsequently raced with the Ramseys' colors, trained by Dale Romans.[1]

Racing career

[edit]
Ramsey racing colors

Kitten's Joy made his first start on August 20, 2003, at Saratoga racetrack, finishing fifth in a five-furlong sprint on the dirt.[7] On September 24 at Belmont Park, he improved to finish second in a one-mile race on the dirt, beaten by a neck.[8] For his third start on October 9, Kitten's Joy was switched to the turf and responded with a 4+12-length victory,[9] followed up by another win on the turf at Churchill Downs on November 16.[1]

Kitten's Joy started his three-year-old season on January 1, 2004, in the Grade III Tropical Park Derby at Calder racetrack, winning by 4+12 lengths. "He's a pretty easy horse to ride", said jockey Jerry Bailey. "He puts you in the race where you want to be, then he comes off the bridle and relaxes until you call on him. I told [Romans], I thought he had a kick left, but I didn't think it would be as explosive as it was."[10]

Given the win, Ramsey wanted to try the horse on the dirt again in hopes of qualifying for the Kentucky Derby. Accordingly, Bailey rode Kitten's Joy in a six-furlong workout on the dirt, in which Kitten's Joy spotted stakes-winner Dubai Sheikh a six-length lead but still ran him down. While it was an impressive performance, Bailey advised Ramsay that the horse was better on grass and should not be tried on dirt again.[11]

On February 21, Kitten's Joy returned to win the Palm Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park by a length.[4] He followed this up with a win on April 30 in the American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs before losing his first race since moving to the turf, finishing second in the Jefferson Cup Stakes on June 12.[1]

In the Virginia Derby on July 10 at Colonial Downs, Kitten's Joy faced off with favored Artie Schiller. The two tracked the early leaders before Artie Schiller made his move entering the stretch. Kitten's Joy responded and the two dueled for about a furlong before Kitten's Joy finally pulled away to win by over two lengths. It was his fourth Grade III win of the year.[12]

Kitten's Joy then stepped up to the Grade I level in the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park on August 14. He was the 4-5 favorite and rewarded bettors with a "convincing" victory by over three lengths. His time for the 1+14-mile race was 1:59.65, which was 25 of a second faster than older horses ran in the Arlington Million earlier that day.[13] The time is a still-standing stakes record.[14]

In the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Handicap at Belmont Park on October 2, Kitten's Joy faced older horses for the first time, including European stars Magistretti and Maktub, Arlington Million winner Kicken Kris, and United Nations winner Request for Parole. It was also his first start at 12 furlongs, a distance at which European-bred horses typically excel. Kitten's Joy responded with an "authoritative" win by 2+12 lengths on a yielding turf course. "What amazed me about him is his turn of foot, acceleration and how kind he is during the race", Romans said. "When you ask him, he just turns it on. This is the best race he's run so far. I thought he would relish a mile and a half, and he showed that he did today."[15]

In his final start of the year, Kitten's Joy ran second in the 2004 Breeders' Cup Turf, finishing 1+34 lengths behind Better Talk Now. Kitten's Joy had trouble handling the wet turf course but finally started to make up ground only to be bumped by the eventual winner in the stretch drive. "It completely stopped our momentum", said jockey John Velazquez. "If we had a clean trip, we would have won it." Kitten's Joy dropped back to third but then rallied to beat Powerscourt for second place by a neck. A claim of interference was disallowed by the stewards. "The whole time around he looked like he struggled", said Romans. "He tried the whole way. He showed the heart of a champion."[16] He was voted the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Male Turf Horse.[11]

Kitten's Joy started twice as a four-year-old, finishing first in the Firecracker Handicap (now known as the Wise Dan Stakes). He finished second to Powerscourt in the Arlington Million, considered by some to be the turf race equivalent of the Kentucky Derby. He was retired after the Million due to damaged cartilage in his left knee.

Stud career

[edit]

Kitten's Joy was retired to stud at Ramsey Farm in 2006 for an initial fee of $25,000.[3] As a turf runner with a turf pedigree, he was not originally fashionable in the North American breeding market, which prizes precocious dirt runners. Rather than relying on outside breeders, Ramsey built a broodmare band of over 100 mares to support Kitten's Joy, often purchasing them in claiming races. The gamble to invest so heavily in an unproven stallion started to pay off when the first offspring of Kitten's Joy reached the racetrack in 2009.[17] Kitten's Joy was the 5th ranked freshman sire in 2009,[18] became the leading 3rd crop and champion Juvenile sire in 2011 and led the North America general sire listing in 2013.[19] In 2014, his stud fee was increased to $100,000.[20]

In 2017, Ramsay announced that he was planning to sell Kitten's Joy, probably to European interests, feeling that the stallion was not getting the respect he deserved from North American breeders.[21] Eventually, Ramsay sold a 50% interest to Hill 'n' Dale Farm, where the stallion stood the 2018 season for a fee of $60,000.[22] Kitten's Joy earned his second leading sire title in 2018, after which his fee was increased to $75,000 for 2019.[23]

Kitten's Joy has enjoyed his greatest success with mares who are bred along similar lines to him, with Northern Dancer and/or Roberto in their pedigrees. According to Ramsey Farm manager Mark Partridge, he also works best with well-balanced, strong mares and has enjoyed less success with fine-boned mares.[24] According to trainer Chad Brown, who has trained many offspring of Kitten's Joy, one of the secrets to their success is their temperament.

"To be a top racehorse, you have to be physically gifted, but it also takes an incredible mental constitution. You have to be focused to train every day. One after another, the Kitten's Joys carry that trait. They’re tough-minded horses. They never get sour. They can’t wait to train, and they drag their riders to get to the track."[17]

The first 16 stakes winners sired by Kitten's Joy were bred by the Ramseys and most of them also raced for the Ramseys. Even as his reputation grew, the Ramsey's were still the breeders of 54 of his first 68 stakes winners.[25] Three of Kitten's Joy's progeny won Grade I races on the same day, August 17, 2013 – Big Blue Kitten (Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap), Real Solution (Arlington Million), and Admiral Kitten (Secretariat Stakes) – all of them Ramsey homebreds. As a result, when Kitten's Joy led the sire list in 2013, the Ramseys were also the leading breeders and owners, winning Eclipse Awards in these categories.[24] Over time though, more of his offspring were produced from outside mares, including his first Group 1 winner in Europe, Hawkbill, who won the 2016 Eclipse Stakes.[25]

Kitten's Joy died on July 15, 2022, in his paddock at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa in Paris, Kentucky, of what the farm described as an apparent heart attack.[26]

Major winners

[edit]

c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding[19][27]

Foaled Name Sex Major wins
2008 Big Blue Kitten c United Nations Stakes, Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes, Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes
2009 Stephanie's Kitten f Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, Just A Game Stakes, Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes, Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf
2009 Diplomat g New York Turf Writers Cup
2009 Real Solution c Arlington Million, Manhattan Handicap
2010 Admiral Kitten c Secretariat Stakes
2010 Kitten's Dumplings f Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes
2011 Bobby's Kitten c Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint
2011 Divisidero c Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes
2012 Chiropractor c Hollywood Derby
2013 Hawkbill c Eclipse Stakes, Dubai Sheema Classic
2013 Sadler's Joy c Sword Dancer Stakes
2014 Oscar Performance c Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, Belmont Derby, Secretariat Stakes, Woodbine Mile
2015 Roaring Lion c Eclipse Stakes, International Stakes, Irish Champion Stakes, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
2016 Henley's Joy c Belmont Derby
2017 Kameko c Vertem Futurity Trophy, 2000 Guineas
2017 Tripoli c Pacific Classic Stakes

Statistics

[edit]
By Racing Year[28]
Year North
American
Rank
Winners Stakes
Winners
Graded
Stakes
Winners
Chief Earner Earnings
2009 #5 first-crop 19 5 1 William's Kitten $1,156,779
2010 111 66 2 1 Dean's Kitten $2,551,584
2011 10 104 15 5 Stephanie's Kitten $6,801,569
2012 19 133 14 6 Politicallycorrect $6,533,591
2013 1 135 24 11 Big Blue Kitten $11,330,908
2014 3 149 25 9 Bobby's Kitten $11,713,264
2015 3 134 13 7 Stephanie's Kitten $11,616,036
2016 5 149 17 10 Camelot Kitten $10,798,048
2017 3 174 16 13 Sadler's Joy $13,155,517
2018 1 177 17 9 Hawkbill $18,647,331
2019 10 123 14 7 Henley's Joy $10,491,985

Prior to 2015, the Leading Sire Lists published by The Blood-Horse excluded earnings from Hong Kong and Japan due to the potential distortion caused by higher purse sizes. Starting in 2015, earnings from Hong Kong and Japan are included on an adjusted basis.[29]

Pedigree

[edit]
Pedigree of Kitten's Joy, chestnut horse, May 8, 2001[30]
Sire
El Prado (IRE)
1989
Sadler's Wells
1981
Northern Dancer Nearctic
Natalma
Fairy Bridge Bold Reason
Special
Lady Capulet
1974
Sir Ivor Sir Gaylord
Attica
Caps and Bells Tom Fool
Ghazni
Dam
Kitten's First
1991
Lear Fan
1981
Roberto Hail To Reason
Bramalea
Wac Lt. Stevens
Belthazar
That's My Hon
1983
L'Enjoleur Buckpasser
Fanfreluche
One Lane Prince John
Danger Ahead (family: 2-d)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "Profile for Kitten's Joy". equibase.com. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  2. ^ Biles, Deirdre. "Kitten's Joy Produced From Mare Who Overcame Adversity". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  3. ^ a b c "Ken Ramsey: A Man for All Seasons". 2010.holdyourhorsesmagazine.com. Archived from the original on 22 August 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Bailey, Owner Ramsey Seeing Double". SunSentinel. Archived from the original on April 12, 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  5. ^ Wincze-Hughes, Alicia (October 27, 2013). "Nicholasville's Ramsey Farm reveling in franchise stallion's brilliance heading into Breeders' Cup". Lexington-Herald Leader. Kentucky.com. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  6. ^ "El Prado (horse)". American Classic Pedigrees. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  7. ^ "Chart for August 20, 2003". Equibase. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  8. ^ "Chart for September 24, 2003". Equibase. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  9. ^ "Chart for October 9, 2003". Equibase. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  10. ^ Joseph, Dave. "Bailey Wins Tropical Park Derby Again". SunSentinel. Archived from the original on September 22, 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  11. ^ a b Biles, Deirdre. "2004 Eclipse Turf Male: Kitten's Joy". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  12. ^ "Kitten's Joy Worth Purring About in Virginia Derby". BloodHorse. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  13. ^ "Another Happy Ending for Kitten's Joy". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  14. ^ "Secretariat Stakes History" (PDF). arlingtonpark.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  15. ^ Shinar, Jack. "Kitten's Joy Delights in Hirsch Turf Classic; BCup Next". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  16. ^ Mitchell, Ron. "Better Talk Now Speaks Loudly in the Breeders' Cup Turf". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  17. ^ a b Beyer, Andrew. "Breeders Cup: Ken Ramsey defies precepts of horse breeding business with Kitten's Joy". Washington Post. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  18. ^ "2009 Freshman Sire List". www.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  19. ^ a b Hunter, Avalyn. "Kitten's Joy (horse)". American Classic Pedigrees. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  20. ^ "Kitten's Joy to Stand for $100,000 in 2016". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  21. ^ "Ramsey Farm Swamped by Inquiries for Kitten's Joy". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  22. ^ "Kitten's Joy Relocating to Hill 'n' Dale Farms". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  23. ^ "Second General Sires' Title for Kitten's Joy". Thoroughbred Daily News. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  24. ^ a b Nevills, Joe. "The mares who made Kitten's Joy". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  25. ^ a b Sexton, Nancy. "Hawkbill a European first for Kitten's Joy". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  26. ^ Mitchell, Eric (15 July 2022). "Multiple Leading Sire Kitten's Joy Dies at 21". The Blood-Horse. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  27. ^ "Kitten's Joy – Stud Record". Racing Post. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  28. ^ "Interactive Leading Sire Lists". www.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  29. ^ Mitchell, Eric. "Sire List Evolution". cs.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  30. ^ "Kitten's Joy Pedigree". Equineline. Retrieved 13 September 2016.