Kitten’s Joy to move to Hill ‘n’ Dale

Kitten’s Joy, North America’s leading sire by general progeny earnings in 2013 and a perennial leading turf sire, will relocate to Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm in Lexington, Ky., after farm owner John G. Sikura purchased a 50 percent interest in the horse.

The 16-year-old son of El Prado arrives at Hill ‘n’ Dale on Monday, and will stand for an advertised fee of $60,000. He previously stood at the Ramsey Farm in Nicholasville, Ky., where he was advertised in 2017 for $100,000.

Ken and Sarah Ramsey, who bred Kitten’s Joy, raced him, and initially stood him at stud, will maintain the remaining 50 percent interest in the stallion. Kitten’s Joy sits second behind Unbridled’s Song among North America’s leading sires by 2017 general progeny earnings.

“The decision to sell an interest in our prized colt and move him to another farm was a heart-wrenching decision,” Ken Ramsey said. “John Sikura is operating on an international level and has developed a reputation of being second to none in the stallion business. This horse is my family’s legacy. We couldn’t be more pleased with turning the reins over to Hill ‘n’ Dale to write the next chapter in his career.”

The deal puts to rest industry-wide speculation around the stallion after Ramsey said in late September that he was considering options to refocus the marketing of Kitten’s Joy following dissatisfaction with his yearlings’ reception at auction. Options Ramsey pondered at the time included moving the stallion to Europe, taking on domestic partners, or simply keeping the same course.

“I think it’s a great win for American breeders for him to stay here and to not have gone to Europe,” Sikura said. “I think it would have been an indictment of the industry, it would have been short-sighted, and we would have regretted the loss.”

Hill ‘n’ Dale’s share in the stallion will be syndicated among a diverse group of breeders, both domestic and international, and Sikura said he would support Kitten’s Joy with some of his farm’s top mares, both those already in the band and ones that will be purchased at the upcoming mixed sales.

“I know they had several very important suitors, and we feel very fortunate and gratified that the Ramsey family finally chose Hill ‘n’ Dale,” Sikura said.

Kitten’s Joy has sired nine crops of racing age since entering stud in 2006, with 585 winners and combined progeny earnings in excess of $75.1 million. He has been North America’s leading sire by progeny turf earnings every year since 2013, and he leads this year’s standings by more than $3.3 million.

His leading runners include champion Big Blue Kitten, twotime Breeders’ Cup winner Stephanie’s Kitten, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Oscar Performance, and Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Bobby’s Kitten.

During his racing career, Kitten’s Joy won 9 of 14 starts for earnings of $2,075,791 and was named champion turf male of 2004.

Kitten’s Joy was one of just four North American stallions to cover 200 or more mares during the 2016 breeding season, and his first foals bred on the $100,000 stud fee are 2-year-olds of 2017.

“He’s had full books of mares, and every year they’ve been better and better,” Sikura said. “We think as good as he’s been, he can be even better.”