Bluegrass Cat is a thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 race horse. Foaled on January 23, 2003, he was a contender for the Triple Crown

Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing

The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing consists of three races for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses. Winning all three of these Thoroughbred horse races is considered the greatest accomplishment of a Thoroughbred racehorse...

 in 2006. However, he came up just short in the Kentucky Derby

Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...

, finishing in second place, 6.5 lengths behind Barbaro

Barbaro

Barbaro was an American thoroughbred who decisively won the 2006 Kentucky Derby, but shattered his leg two weeks later in the 2006 Preakness Stakes, ending his racing career and eventually leading to his death....

.

Connections

Owned and bred by WinStar Farm in Versailles, Kentucky

Versailles, Kentucky

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,511 people, 3,160 households, and 2,110 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 3,330 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.18% White, 8.67% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.35%...

, he is trained by Todd Pletcher

Todd Pletcher

Todd Pletcher is a leading American thoroughbred horse trainer. He has won four consecutive Eclipse Awards as outstanding Trainer of the Year, while topping the leader board in purse earnings in 2004, 2005, and 2006. His horse Super Saver won the 2010 Kentucky Derby, the first of his 24 horses...

. For the Derby, he was ridden by Ramon A. Dominguez

Ramon A. Dominguez

Ramon A. Dominguez is an Eclipse Award-winning champion jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing....

. (Distorted Humor

Distorted Humor

Distorted Humor is an American Thoroughbred racehorse and a successful sire.-Bloodline:Distorted Humor's sire is Forty Niner, 1987's Eclipse Award winning Outstanding Two-Year-Old Male Horse by the champion sire, Mr. Prospector. Distorted Humor's dam was Danzig's Beauty by Danzig. Distorted...

, Tiznow

Tiznow

Tiznow is an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse owned by Michael L. Cooper and Cee's Stable.-Pedigree:...

, Speightstown, and Victory Gallop stand at stud at WinStar Farm.)

Two year-old season

As a two year-old Bluegrass Cat showed great promise breaking his maiden in his second lifetime start in a seven furlong race at Belmont Park

Belmont Park

Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...

. In his third career race he scored a resounding win in the Nashua Stakes

Nashua Stakes

The Nashua Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. Named for Nashua, the 1955 United States Horse of the Year, it was first run in 1975. A Grade II race, it is open to two-year-olds and has been raced over a distance of one mile since...

 also at Belmont. In that race he was ridden by regular jockey John R. Velazquez and finished the mile in 1:38.02. In his next race he stamped himself as one of the top five young colts in the country by winning the Remsen Stakes

Remsen Stakes

The Remsen Stakes is an American Grade II race for Thoroughbred horse race run annually near the end of November at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York...

 at Aqueduct Racetrack

Aqueduct Racetrack

Aqueduct Racetrack is a thoroughbred horse-racing facility and racino in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. Its racing meets usually are from late October/early November through April.-History:...

. In that race he attempted his first two turn race and won the mile and one eighth race in 1:52.20.

Breeding

By Storm Cat out of She's A Winner, Bluegrass Cat's breeding line include such horses as A.P. Indy

A.P. Indy

A.P. Indy is a champion stallion Thoroughbred racehorse bred in Kentucky, USA, by William Farish III and William Kilroy. He is known for his ancestry, his own record, and his successful progeny. He was sired by Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew through mare Weekend Surprise, who herself was sired...

, Secretariat

Secretariat (horse)

Secretariat was an American Thoroughbred racehorse, that in 1973 became the first U.S. Triple Crown champion in 25 years, setting new race records in two of the three events in the Series—the Kentucky Derby , and the Belmont Stakes —records that still stand today.Secretariat was sired by Bold...

, Bold Ruler

Bold Ruler

Bold Ruler was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse.Bred by the Wheatley Stable of Gladys Mills Phipps, Bold Ruler was foaled on April 6, 1954 at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky to Nasrullah and Miss Disco by Discovery...

, Northern Dancer

Northern Dancer

Northern Dancer was a Canadian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and the most successful sire of the 20th Century. The National Thoroughbred Racing Association calls him "one of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred history"....

, and Seattle Slew

Seattle Slew

Seattle Slew was an American Thoroughbred race horse who won the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in 1977, the tenth of eleven horses to accomplish the feat. He remains the only horse to win the Triple Crown while undefeated. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S...

.

Races

Finish	Race	Distance	Track	Condition
2nd	Travers Stakes Travers Stakes The Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.First held in 1864, it was named for William R. Travers, the president of the old Saratoga Racing Association. His horse, Kentucky, won the first running of the Travers...	One and One-Quarter Miles	Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It opened on August 3, 1863, and is the oldest organized sporting venue of any kind in the United States. It is typically open for racing from late July through early September.-History:John...	Fast
1st	Haskell Invitational Handicap Haskell Invitational Handicap The Resorts Casino & Hotel Haskell Invitational is an American Grade I race for thoroughbred horses. In 1968, the Board of Directors of Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey honored its former President and Chairman Amory L. Haskell with the Amory L. Haskell Handicap, a race for older...	One and One-Eighth Miles	Monmouth Park Racetrack Monmouth Park Racetrack Monmouth Park Racetrack is an American race track for thoroughbred horse racing in Oceanport, New Jersey. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and is operated under a five-year lease as a partnership with Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City.Monmouth Park's marquee event...	Fast
2nd	Belmont Stakes Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...	One and One-Half Miles	Belmont Park Belmont Park Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...	Fast
2nd	Kentucky Derby Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...	One and One-Quarter Miles	Churchill Downs Churchill Downs Churchill Downs, located in Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, is a Thoroughbred racetrack most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby annually. It officially opened in 1875, and held the first Kentucky Derby and the first Kentucky Oaks in the same year. Churchill Downs...	Fast
4th	Blue Grass Stakes Blue Grass Stakes The Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, currently sponsored by the Toyota Motor Corporation, is an American Grade 1 horse race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds held annually in mid April at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky....	One and One-Eighth Miles	Keeneland Race Course	Fast
2nd	Tampa Bay Derby Tampa Bay Derby The Tampa Bay Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race held in mid March at Tampa Bay Downs. A Grade III event since 2002, it is open to three-year-olds willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt. The race has gained in popularity over the past few years and is now listed as an...	One and One-Sixteenth Miles	Tampa Bay Downs Tampa Bay Downs Tampa Bay Downs is an American Thoroughbred horse racing facility located in Westchase in Hillsborough County, just outside Tampa, Florida. It opened in 1926 under the name Tampa Downs. The first of many names, the racetrack was well known as Sunshine Park and Florida Downs.-Season:The track races...	Fast
1st	Sam F Davis Stakes	One and One-Sixteenth Miles	Tampa Bay Downs Tampa Bay Downs Tampa Bay Downs is an American Thoroughbred horse racing facility located in Westchase in Hillsborough County, just outside Tampa, Florida. It opened in 1926 under the name Tampa Downs. The first of many names, the racetrack was well known as Sunshine Park and Florida Downs.-Season:The track races...	Fast
1st	Remsen Stakes Remsen Stakes The Remsen Stakes is an American Grade II race for Thoroughbred horse race run annually near the end of November at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York...	One and One-Eighth Miles	Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct Racetrack is a thoroughbred horse-racing facility and racino in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. Its racing meets usually are from late October/early November through April.-History:...	Fast
1st	Nashua Stakes Nashua Stakes The Nashua Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. Named for Nashua, the 1955 United States Horse of the Year, it was first run in 1975. A Grade II race, it is open to two-year-olds and has been raced over a distance of one mile since...	One Mile	Belmont Park Belmont Park Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...	Fast
1st	Maiden	Seven Furlongs	Belmont Park Belmont Park Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...	Fast
8th	Maiden	Four and One-Half Furlongs	Churchill Downs Churchill Downs Churchill Downs, located in Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, is a Thoroughbred racetrack most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby annually. It officially opened in 1875, and held the first Kentucky Derby and the first Kentucky Oaks in the same year. Churchill Downs...	Fast

Finish Line

Although he came out of the 2006 Travers in seemingly good shape, the next morning he was found to be lame in his right hind pastern. Xrays showed he had a nondisplaced fracture. Bluegrass Cat is now retired from racing with five wins and four places out of eleven starts, and earnings of $1,761,280. He'll be going home to WinStar to stand at stud for $50,000 beginning in 2007.