Veteran Sire Surf Cat Relocated to Rancho San Miguel

Veteran stallion Surf Cat, a multiple grade 2 winner and grade 1-placed millionaire and the sire of multiple California-bred champion Sircat Sally, will stand at Rancho San Miguel near San Miguel, Calif., during the 2021 breeding season. His fee is $2,500 with a 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 10 crops of racing age, Surf Cat has sired 57 winners from 84 starters to date, with lifetime progeny earnings of $4,047,200 and average earnings per starter of $48,181, as of Jan. 25. 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 was named California-bred Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old female in 2017. He also sired dual grade 3 winner San Onofre, who earned $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 in 2005-08. His wins included the Swaps Breeders' Cup Stakes (G2), two editions of the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap (G2) at Hollywood Park, the Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap (G2), and two runnings of the San Carlos Handicap (G2) at Santa Anita. He also ran second beaten a head in Hollywood's 2007 Triple Bend Invitational Handicap (G1) en route to earning $1,045,420 from 23 career starts. "I am thrilled to have Surf Cat back; he was one of my favorite racehorses," said co-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.