Cat Thief (USA)
January 30, 1996 – c. 2018
Storm Cat (USA) x Train Robbery (USA), by Alydar (USA)
Family 13-b
January 30, 1996 – c. 2018
Storm Cat (USA) x Train Robbery (USA), by Alydar (USA)
Family 13-b
Cat Thief was one of those talented horses who always seem to find one or two others too good for them in major races, but his four lifetime wins included the best possible place to break through and finish in front: North America’s richest race, the 1999 Breeders’ Cup Classic (USA-G1). Although he placed in five Grade 1 and Grade 2 races as a 4-year-old, he failed to win again after that upset triumph and was not a success as a sire.
Race record
30 starts, 4 wins, 9 seconds, 8 thirds, US$3,951,012
1998:
1999:
2000:
Assessments
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males at distances over a mile, 1 pound below champion 3-year-old male and Horse of the Year Charismatic and tied for second with Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) winner Lemon Drop Kid and dual Classic runner-up and multiple Grade 1 winner Menifee.
As an individual
A handsome, muscular chestnut horse, Cat Thief had the typical strong Storm Cat body and hip.
As a stallion
According to records compiled by The Jockey Club, Cat Thief sired 327 winners (57.3%) and 15 stakes winners (2.6%) from 571 named foals of racing age. His best runner was probably multiple Grade 2 winner Great Intentions, and he also sired Puerto Rican champion Thethiefatmidnight.
Notable progeny
Thethiefatmidnight (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Classic Empire (USA), Street Fancy (USA), Wow Cat (CHI)
Sire rankings
Per El Turf (https://elturf.com/):
Per the Stud Book de Chile (https://www.studbookdechile.cl/):
Per The Blood-Horse:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Cat Thief was bred and owned by Overbrook Farm. He was traned by D. Wayne Lukas and was ridden to his Breeders’ Cup Classic score by Pat Day. He entered stud in 2001 in Kentucky at Overbook Farm. Following the 2008 breeding season, Cat Thief moved to Penn Ridge Farms in Pennsylvania. In 2013, he was exported to Saudi Arabia, where he stood at Almusaadiyah Stud. His last known foals appear to have been foaled in 2019.
Pedigree notes
Cat Thief is inbred 5x4 to two-time American Horse of the Year Native Dancer and 5x5 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah, also the English/Irish champion sire of 1951. He is a half brother to Sand Dollar (by Grindstone), dam of multiple listed stakes winner Russian Greek (by Giant’s Causeway), and was produced from multiple Grade 3 winner Train Robbery (by Alydar). Train Robbery is a full sister to Trail Robbery, dam of 2004 Triple Bend Breeders’ Cup Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) winner Pohave (by Holy Bull) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Tapicat.
Train Robbery and Trail Robbery are out of 1982 American champion older female Track Robbery (by No Robbery). The next dam in Cat Thief’s tail-female line is unraced Left for Home, who was sired by 1961 Detroit Sweepstake Handicap winner Run for Nurse out of the winner Scoreless (by Shut Out). A half sister to 1955 Aqueduct Handicap winner Icarian (by War Admiral) and 1962 Top Flight Handicap winner Pepper Patch (by Mr. Busher), Scoreless is out of stakes-placed Legend Bearer (by The Porter), a half sister to 1950 Blue Grass Stakes winner Mr. Trouble (by Mahmoud) and stakes winner Small World (by Halycon).
Fun facts
Last updated: January 8, 2025
Race record
30 starts, 4 wins, 9 seconds, 8 thirds, US$3,951,012
1998:
- Won Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Keeneland)
- 3rd Breeders' Cup Juvenile (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
1999:
- Won Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1, 10FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won Swaps Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd Haskell Invitational Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Monmouth)
- 2nd Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Keeneland)
- 2nd Fountain of Youth Stakes (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 3rd Kentucky Derby (USA-G1, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- 3rd Florida Derby (USA-G1, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 3rd Malibu Stakes (USA-G1, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Turfway Park)
- 3rd Hutcheson Stakes (USA-G2, 7FD, Gulfstream Park)
2000:
- 2nd Whitney Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd San Fernando Breeders' Cup Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd San Antonio Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Oaklawn Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Oaklawn Park)
- 3rd Stephen Foster Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
Assessments
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males at distances over a mile, 1 pound below champion 3-year-old male and Horse of the Year Charismatic and tied for second with Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) winner Lemon Drop Kid and dual Classic runner-up and multiple Grade 1 winner Menifee.
As an individual
A handsome, muscular chestnut horse, Cat Thief had the typical strong Storm Cat body and hip.
As a stallion
According to records compiled by The Jockey Club, Cat Thief sired 327 winners (57.3%) and 15 stakes winners (2.6%) from 571 named foals of racing age. His best runner was probably multiple Grade 2 winner Great Intentions, and he also sired Puerto Rican champion Thethiefatmidnight.
Notable progeny
Thethiefatmidnight (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Classic Empire (USA), Street Fancy (USA), Wow Cat (CHI)
Sire rankings
Per El Turf (https://elturf.com/):
- 6th on the Chilean broodmare sire list in 2017.
Per the Stud Book de Chile (https://www.studbookdechile.cl/):
- 6th on the Chilean broodmare sire list in 2017.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- Led the Pennsylvania regional sire list in 2008.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Cat Thief was bred and owned by Overbrook Farm. He was traned by D. Wayne Lukas and was ridden to his Breeders’ Cup Classic score by Pat Day. He entered stud in 2001 in Kentucky at Overbook Farm. Following the 2008 breeding season, Cat Thief moved to Penn Ridge Farms in Pennsylvania. In 2013, he was exported to Saudi Arabia, where he stood at Almusaadiyah Stud. His last known foals appear to have been foaled in 2019.
Pedigree notes
Cat Thief is inbred 5x4 to two-time American Horse of the Year Native Dancer and 5x5 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah, also the English/Irish champion sire of 1951. He is a half brother to Sand Dollar (by Grindstone), dam of multiple listed stakes winner Russian Greek (by Giant’s Causeway), and was produced from multiple Grade 3 winner Train Robbery (by Alydar). Train Robbery is a full sister to Trail Robbery, dam of 2004 Triple Bend Breeders’ Cup Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) winner Pohave (by Holy Bull) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Tapicat.
Train Robbery and Trail Robbery are out of 1982 American champion older female Track Robbery (by No Robbery). The next dam in Cat Thief’s tail-female line is unraced Left for Home, who was sired by 1961 Detroit Sweepstake Handicap winner Run for Nurse out of the winner Scoreless (by Shut Out). A half sister to 1955 Aqueduct Handicap winner Icarian (by War Admiral) and 1962 Top Flight Handicap winner Pepper Patch (by Mr. Busher), Scoreless is out of stakes-placed Legend Bearer (by The Porter), a half sister to 1950 Blue Grass Stakes winner Mr. Trouble (by Mahmoud) and stakes winner Small World (by Halycon).
Fun facts
- Cat Thief led the Pennsylvania sire list in 2008 despite never having covered a mare in the state up to that time, thanks to his being moved to the state late in the year. The reason was that the rankings were calculated by 2008 progeny earnings for all stallions based in the state as of December 31, 2008, and did not require a stallion to have actually covered mares in the state during the year.
Last updated: January 8, 2025