Secretariat Stakes Hero Throws Spotlight on Bobby's Kitten

Mark Smith - Sunday August 13

One of the more intriguing first season stallions in Australia this spring is the Group I Breeders' Cup Turf winner Bobby's Kitten, a son of the El Prado stallion Kitten's Joy who has dominated turf racing in the US to the extent few have done before.

More evidence of this came at Arlington Park on Saturday when the aptly named Oscar Performance earned a third win at the highest level in the $US400,000 Secretariat Stakes.

The Brian Lynch-trained rig had won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf last season and was coming off a win the Belmont Derby Invitational.

Advertisement

Ridden by Jose Ortiz Oscar Performance stalked the early pace set by the More Than Ready colt Sonic Boom. Set alight on the home turn he easily held the challenges of the European shippers Taj Mahal (Ire) (Galileo) and Afandem (Fr) (Zoffany).


The most favoured of the Europeans, Permian (Ire) (Teofilo), passed the post in last place before stumbling and unseating William Buick.

Winner of the Group II King Edward VII Stakes and Group II Dante Stakes and a heartbreaking near miss in the Group I Grand Prix de Paris at his most recent start, Permian (Ire) had broken a left front cannon bone and was euthanized.  

The winner of six of his nine starts, Oscar Performance has banked $US1.7 million for breeders John and Jerry Amerman.

A brother to the Grade III winner and Grade I placed Oscar Nominated, Oscar Performance is out of the stakes winning Theatrical mare Devine Actress.

The Secretariat Stakes is also on the resume of Kitten's Joy who won the race 13 years ago.

Coincidently Twin Hills foundation stallion Bobby's Kitten (pictured) hails from the family of Theatrical.

His third dam North Eden (Northfield) is a half-sister to Theatrical and she covered herself in glory as a broodmare leaving the Group I winners Paradise Creek, Wild Event and Forbidden Apple.

Bobby's Kitten will stand his first season at Olly Tate's Twin Hills Stud at Cootamundra for a fee of $16,500. 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Merchant Navy 3YO Primed for Spring Stakes Campaign
Cody Cole is happy to play a waiting game with Landlock before confirming the three-year-old’s main goals for the season.
Hard To Cross swoops to Valley win
Six-year-old gelding Hard To Cross was aided by the three-kilo claim of Rose Hammond as the Kiwi bred landed his first victory of the preparation when landing the Ascend Sales Trophies Handicap (1523m).
First Stakes Success For Cafe Millenium
While having just turned 5, former Sydneysider Cafe Millenium (Not A Single Doubt), who now calls Lindsay Park home, broke through for his first black type victory on Saturday, winning the Listed SAJC Leon Macdonald Stakes (1400m) at Morphettville in impressive fashion.
Narrow Miss for Hellbent Gelding in G2 Foxbridge
Lhasa proved he is more than a synthetic track specialist when he nearly caused an upset when finishing runner-up in Saturday’s Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa.
Bates gets creative at The Valley
Six-year-old gelding The Creator led throughout to claim the Ladbrokes Top 2/3/4 Betting Handicap (1600m) at The Valley on Saturday under a perfect Logan Bates ride.
Idyllic Prince Stakes - Phanta Leads a Sweet Trifecta for Gingerbread Man
Yarradale Stud's senior stallion Gingerbread Man achieved a rare career high for any sire when the son of Shamardal provided the trifecta in Saturday's Listed Idyllic Prince Stakes over 1300m at Belmont Park.
Top Filly Beats Top Colt in G1 Prix Morny
The Group I Prix Morny (1200m) at Deauville overnight produced a mightly clash between unbeaten Starspangled banner colt Gstaad and unbeaten filly Venetian Sun with the filly prevailing, although Starspangledbanner got some consolation with a new G3 winning 2YO at Goodwood.
Sires With Winners - Sunday August 24
Here is the full list of 67 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Inglis Ready2Race Sale Now Online
The strongest collection of sire power ever assembled for an Australian 2YO Sale will be offered at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale, for which the catalogue is now available online.
First Southern Hemisphere foals for Paddington
A four-time Group I winner by champion French sire Siyouni, European superstar, PADDINGTON, has had his first Southern Hemisphere foals arrive on the ground at Windsor Park.