Big Blue Kitten (USA)
May 1, 2008 – Living
Kitten’s Joy (USA) x Spent Gold (USA), by Unaccounted For (USA)
American Family 1
May 1, 2008 – Living
Kitten’s Joy (USA) x Spent Gold (USA), by Unaccounted For (USA)
American Family 1
By international standards, the American turf males of 2015 were a rather weak group, and two Grade 1 wins plus a third-place finish behind two European invaders in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (USA-G1) were enough to secure an Eclipse Award for the honest and consistent stayer Big Blue Kitten. A late-developing horse who waited until age 5 to start finding his best form and liked 12 furlongs better than 9 or 10, he was not the sort of horse to appeal to the American stallion market and has had only limited opportunities as a sire, with predictable results.
Race record
33 starts, 14 wins, 8 seconds, 5 thirds, US$2,983,350 (includes converted Canadian earnings)
2011:
2012:
2013:
2014:
2015:
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds in the Long category on the 2013 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 11 pounds below co-highweights Black Caviar (the Australian Horse of the Year) and Treve (the European Horse of the Year and highweight in the Long catgeory).
Rated at 115 pounds in the Long category on the 2014 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 15 pounds below highweighted Just a Way (the Japanese champion older male) and 14 pounds below Japan Cup (JPN-G1) winner Epiphaneia, the highweight in the Long category.
Rated at 118 pounds in the Long category on the 2015 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 16 pounds below highweighted American Pharoah (the American Horse of the Year) and 12 pounds below European champion 3-year-old male Golden Horn, the highweight in the Long category.
As an individual
A lengthy, rangy bay ridgling, Big Blue Kitten stayed well and was a willing finisher. He generally did his best running from well off the pace. He appeared to lose interest in racing as an 8-year-old and was retired after three unplaced runs that year.
As a stallion
Big Blue Kitten entered stud in Kentucky in 2017 at Calumet Farm. To date, his best runner is multiple Grade 3 winner Cellist, a member of his first crop.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Big Blue Kitten was bred and owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey. He was trained by Chad Brown. From June 2013 on, he was regularly ridden by Joe Bravo. Big Blue Kitten entered stud in 2017 in Kentucky at Calumet Farm.
Pedigree notes
Big Blue Kitten is inbred 4x4 to 1972 English champion 3-year-old male Roberto, winner of that year’s Derby Stakes and an important stamina influence at stud. Big Blue Kitten is also inbred 4x5 to the outstanding sire and sire of sires Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male, and 5x5x5 to 1966 American champion 3-year-old male Buckpasser, a four-time American champion broodmare sire.
Spent Gold, the dam of Big Blue Kitten, placed third once from three starts. Sired by 1995 Whitney Handicap (USA-G1) winner Unaccounted For (by Private Account), she is a half sister to restricted stakes winner Clever Tish (by the good Icecapade stallion Clever Trick), second dam of three-time Indian champion older horse Juliette.
Spent Gold and Clever Tish are out of the winning Spend a Buck mare Spend a Dream, a half sister 1989 Citation Handicap (USA-G2) winner Fair Judgment (by Alleged) and to Heat Lightning (by Summer Squall), dam of 2005 American champion 2-year-old male Stevie Wonderboy (by 2000 Donn Handicap, USA-G1, winner Stephen Got Even) and English Group 3 winner Theysken’s Theory (by Bernardini) and third dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Somelikeithotbrown. Produced from 1981 Schuylerville Stakes (USA-G3) winner Mystical Mood (by Roberto), Spend a Dream is also a half sister to Meli Magic (by Sovereign Dancer), dam of restricted stakes winner Gigi’s Magic (by Allen’s Prospect), and to Long Silence (by Alleged), dam of listed stakes winners Dake (by Gulch) and Wood Sprite (by Woodman), second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Ailalea, and third dam of 2018 Peruvian champion 3-year-old filly Juliana.
Books and media
Footage of Big Blue Kitten’s win in the 2015 United Nations Handicap can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=vTTAnTPyv-Q.
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan in 2015. Used by permission.
Fun facts
Last updated: August 2, 2024
Race record
33 starts, 14 wins, 8 seconds, 5 thirds, US$2,983,350 (includes converted Canadian earnings)
2011:
- Won National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FT, Saratoga)
2012:
- 2nd Ben Ali Stakes (USA-G3, 9FA, Keeneland)
- 3rd Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (USA-G1, Gulfstream Park)
2013:
- Won Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes (USA-G1, 12FT, Saratoga)
- Won United Nations Handicap (USA-G1, 11FT, Monmouth)
- 2nd Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes (USA-G1, 12FT, Belmont)
- 2nd Monmouth Stakes (USA-G2, 9FT, Monmouth)
- 3rd Ft. Lauderdale Stales (USA-G2, 8.5FT, Gulfstream Park)
2014:
- Won Lure Stakes (USA-R, 8.5FT, Saratoga)
- 2nd Pattison Canadian International Stakes (CAN-G1, 12FT, Woodbine)
- 2nd Red Smith Handicap (USA-G3, 11FT, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Cliff Hanger Stakes (USA-G3, 9FT, Monmouth)
2015:
- Won Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (USA-G1, 12FT, Belmont; new course record 2:23.39)
- Won United Nations Handicap (USA-G1, 11FT, Monmouth)
- Won Fort Marcy Stakes (USA-G3, 9FT, Belmont)
- 2nd Arlington Million XXXIII Stakes (USA-G1, 10FT, Arlington Park)
- 2nd Knob Creek Manhattan Stakes (USA-G1, 10FT, Belmont)
- 3rd Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (USA-G1, 12FT, Keeneland)
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds in the Long category on the 2013 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 11 pounds below co-highweights Black Caviar (the Australian Horse of the Year) and Treve (the European Horse of the Year and highweight in the Long catgeory).
Rated at 115 pounds in the Long category on the 2014 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 15 pounds below highweighted Just a Way (the Japanese champion older male) and 14 pounds below Japan Cup (JPN-G1) winner Epiphaneia, the highweight in the Long category.
Rated at 118 pounds in the Long category on the 2015 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 16 pounds below highweighted American Pharoah (the American Horse of the Year) and 12 pounds below European champion 3-year-old male Golden Horn, the highweight in the Long category.
As an individual
A lengthy, rangy bay ridgling, Big Blue Kitten stayed well and was a willing finisher. He generally did his best running from well off the pace. He appeared to lose interest in racing as an 8-year-old and was retired after three unplaced runs that year.
As a stallion
Big Blue Kitten entered stud in Kentucky in 2017 at Calumet Farm. To date, his best runner is multiple Grade 3 winner Cellist, a member of his first crop.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Big Blue Kitten was bred and owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey. He was trained by Chad Brown. From June 2013 on, he was regularly ridden by Joe Bravo. Big Blue Kitten entered stud in 2017 in Kentucky at Calumet Farm.
Pedigree notes
Big Blue Kitten is inbred 4x4 to 1972 English champion 3-year-old male Roberto, winner of that year’s Derby Stakes and an important stamina influence at stud. Big Blue Kitten is also inbred 4x5 to the outstanding sire and sire of sires Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male, and 5x5x5 to 1966 American champion 3-year-old male Buckpasser, a four-time American champion broodmare sire.
Spent Gold, the dam of Big Blue Kitten, placed third once from three starts. Sired by 1995 Whitney Handicap (USA-G1) winner Unaccounted For (by Private Account), she is a half sister to restricted stakes winner Clever Tish (by the good Icecapade stallion Clever Trick), second dam of three-time Indian champion older horse Juliette.
Spent Gold and Clever Tish are out of the winning Spend a Buck mare Spend a Dream, a half sister 1989 Citation Handicap (USA-G2) winner Fair Judgment (by Alleged) and to Heat Lightning (by Summer Squall), dam of 2005 American champion 2-year-old male Stevie Wonderboy (by 2000 Donn Handicap, USA-G1, winner Stephen Got Even) and English Group 3 winner Theysken’s Theory (by Bernardini) and third dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Somelikeithotbrown. Produced from 1981 Schuylerville Stakes (USA-G3) winner Mystical Mood (by Roberto), Spend a Dream is also a half sister to Meli Magic (by Sovereign Dancer), dam of restricted stakes winner Gigi’s Magic (by Allen’s Prospect), and to Long Silence (by Alleged), dam of listed stakes winners Dake (by Gulch) and Wood Sprite (by Woodman), second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Ailalea, and third dam of 2018 Peruvian champion 3-year-old filly Juliana.
Books and media
Footage of Big Blue Kitten’s win in the 2015 United Nations Handicap can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=vTTAnTPyv-Q.
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan in 2015. Used by permission.
Fun facts
- Big Blue Kitten’s name alludes to both his sire and to the University of Kentucky, from which Ken Ramsey graduated. Blue and white are UK’s school colors, and in sports, Kentucky is often known as the "Big Blue."
- Big Blue Kitten made his first three starts in claiming races with no takers, even though he was third in the first and won the other two.
Last updated: August 2, 2024