Kay Army (CHI)
August 27, 2020 – August 20, 2025
Katmai (CHI) x Soviet Army (ARG), by Pure Prize (USA)
Family 16-f
August 27, 2020 – August 20, 2025
Katmai (CHI) x Soviet Army (ARG), by Pure Prize (USA)
Family 16-f
The toast of Chile as a 3-year-old, Kay Army went unbeaten in his home country including a sweep of the Chilean Triple Crown. He was not nearly so fortunate after being sent to the United States, where injury limited him to two starts. Any hopes of a comeback ended when Kay Army contracted pneumonia in August 2025. In spite of the best of veterinary care, he died of complications of the disease on August 20, 2025.
Race record
12 starts, 10 wins, 0 seconds, 1 third, US$445,708 (includes converted Chilean earnings)
2023:
2024:
2025:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds in both the Intermediate and Long categories on the 2023 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 20 pounds below overall highweight Equinox (the Japanese Horse of the Year, who earned his top rating in the Long category) and 3 pounds below the top-rated South American runner Doutor Sureño (the Brazilian champion older male).
Rated at 117 pounds on the 2024 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 9 pounds below overall highweight City of Troy (the European Horse of the Year) but tied with Argentine Horse of the Year Ever Daddy as the top horse raced in South America.
As an individual
A well-balanced chestnut horse, Kay Army had powerful hindquarters, fluid action, and a strong turn of foot.
Connections
Kay Army was bred by the Hurtado family’s Agricola Tamina LTDA and raced in the names of Ignacio Hurtado and Ignacio Hurtado Jr. He was trained by Patricio Baeza in Chile and by Bill Mott in the United States.
Pedigree notes
Sired by the Group 1-placed Scat Daddy horse Katmai, Kay Army is inbred 5x3 to two-time American champion sire Storm Cat and 5x5 to 1970 English Triple Crown winner Nijinsky II, a two-time American champion broodmare sire. He was produced from the Argentine-bred Pure Prize mare Soviet Army, who never raced and was exported to Chile in 2018. Soviet Army, in turn, is out of Soviet Filly (by Group 1 winner and 2010 Argentine champion sire Orpen), who won the 2008 Premio Clemente Benavides over 1500 meters at La Plata.
Soviet Filly is a full sister to Soviet Lady, dam of 2022 Gran Premio Estrellas Distaff (ARG-G1) winner Soviet Catch, and is also a half sister to South African listed stakes winner Ser de Carrera (by Roy). The siblings’ dam, Slew Briosa, won the 1997 Gran Premio Mil Guineas (ARG-G1) and is a half sister to Modernidad (by Bereber), dam of 1996 Copa de Plata (CHI-G1) winner Tour Modern (by the Green Dancer horse Torjoun). Slew Briosa was sired by the Grade 3-placed Seattle Slew horse Slewsville and is out of Group 3-placed Evolución, by the important Argentine-based sire Con Brio II (by Ribot).
Books and media
Footage of Kay Army’s win in the 2024 El Derby can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y28FJasxY-E.
Last updated: August 27, 2025
Race record
12 starts, 10 wins, 0 seconds, 1 third, US$445,708 (includes converted Chilean earnings)
2023:
- Won Premio St. Leger (CHI-G1, 2200mD, Hipódromo Chile)
- Won El Ensayo Mega (CHI-G1, 2400mT, Santiago)
- Won Premio Nacional Ricardo Lyon (CHI-G1, 2000mT, Santiago)
- Won Polla de Potrillos Roberto Allende U. (CHI-G1, 1700mT, Santiago)
- Won Premio Alberto Vial Infante (CHI-G1, 1600mT, Santiago)
- Won Premio Criadores Machos Marcel Zarour A. (CHI-G2, 1600mT, Santiago)
- Won Premio Alvaro Covarrubios P. (CHI-G3, 1600mT, Santiago)
- Won Cotejo de Potrillos (CHI-G3, 1300mT, Santiago)
2024:
- Won El Derby (CHI-G1, 2400mT, Valparaiso)
2025:
- 3rd Fort Marcy Stakes (USA-G2, 9FT, Aqueduct “Belmont at the Big A”)
Honors
- Chilean Horse of the Year (2024)
- Chilean champion 2-year-old male (2023)
- Chilean champion 3-year-old male (2024)
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds in both the Intermediate and Long categories on the 2023 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 20 pounds below overall highweight Equinox (the Japanese Horse of the Year, who earned his top rating in the Long category) and 3 pounds below the top-rated South American runner Doutor Sureño (the Brazilian champion older male).
Rated at 117 pounds on the 2024 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 9 pounds below overall highweight City of Troy (the European Horse of the Year) but tied with Argentine Horse of the Year Ever Daddy as the top horse raced in South America.
As an individual
A well-balanced chestnut horse, Kay Army had powerful hindquarters, fluid action, and a strong turn of foot.
Connections
Kay Army was bred by the Hurtado family’s Agricola Tamina LTDA and raced in the names of Ignacio Hurtado and Ignacio Hurtado Jr. He was trained by Patricio Baeza in Chile and by Bill Mott in the United States.
Pedigree notes
Sired by the Group 1-placed Scat Daddy horse Katmai, Kay Army is inbred 5x3 to two-time American champion sire Storm Cat and 5x5 to 1970 English Triple Crown winner Nijinsky II, a two-time American champion broodmare sire. He was produced from the Argentine-bred Pure Prize mare Soviet Army, who never raced and was exported to Chile in 2018. Soviet Army, in turn, is out of Soviet Filly (by Group 1 winner and 2010 Argentine champion sire Orpen), who won the 2008 Premio Clemente Benavides over 1500 meters at La Plata.
Soviet Filly is a full sister to Soviet Lady, dam of 2022 Gran Premio Estrellas Distaff (ARG-G1) winner Soviet Catch, and is also a half sister to South African listed stakes winner Ser de Carrera (by Roy). The siblings’ dam, Slew Briosa, won the 1997 Gran Premio Mil Guineas (ARG-G1) and is a half sister to Modernidad (by Bereber), dam of 1996 Copa de Plata (CHI-G1) winner Tour Modern (by the Green Dancer horse Torjoun). Slew Briosa was sired by the Grade 3-placed Seattle Slew horse Slewsville and is out of Group 3-placed Evolución, by the important Argentine-based sire Con Brio II (by Ribot).
Books and media
Footage of Kay Army’s win in the 2024 El Derby can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y28FJasxY-E.
Last updated: August 27, 2025