TRICKY CAT was quite literally the first mare to be added to Kennington Stud's broodmare string and hails from the heart of Japan. The new blood she brings to the North American market is not only potent but influential in the way she throws out successful sons regardless of the stud she's paired with. To date, this unraced chestnut mare has thrown three sons, a 5 year old, 3 year old and 2 year old respectively. All of this horses have committed themselves to high stakes races and this year she's had her first filly, another chestnut and first foal by Seattle Lightning. 

She is by far one of our favorite horses across both of our stables and her mischievous demeanor is bound to make even the grouchiest of people smile. At only 8 years old, Tricky Cat is the very picture of good health and sets an example for new, younger mares that are introduced into the band expecting their first foals. 

You've met the queen mother, now let's meet her children starting with the one that just made history for KC Racing.

"The first son of Speed Rush is a true-blue troublemaker, but a wonderful horse to behold all the same." - John Murchison, head trainer. Tomcat is a handful most days but not in an aggressive way. He's inherited his mother's disposition and as a result he tends to get into all sorts of trouble whether it be breaking into the feed room, out of his stall, you name it. However, this colt is fast and has always been fast.

The times clocked for him have always been record breaking and although unusual for some sprinters, this G2 colt's massive speed boosts are paired with exceptional stamina and impeccable management of those attributes when paired with his jockey. He rose to the challenge and represented his sire well by doing what he could not by winning the first leg of the Triple Turf Sprinter Crown - TURQUOISE SPRINT**. (His sire came second in his endeavors). Already this colt has surpassed even his sire at three with $2.5 million in earnings halfway through his 3 year old season. This colt is the heart of our stable and with him, we are made whole. He is technically one of our first homebreds through his dam and the acquired ownership of his sire and due to that, we are beyond happy to see him come this far.

The first son and foal out of Tricky Cat wasn't actually supposed to happen. When paired with now pensioned stallion, Super Sparky, the mare was not scanned as in foal even after multiple coverings during the breeding season. We figured that she just wasn't going to take that season so we decided to book her again the following year. A surprise came the following year when we found the mare far out in the paddock grooming a little red face, devoid of any markings as he struggled to stand and that was our first meeting with SUPER CAT.

As we had not planned for the colt's arrival into our string, he was sold at auction and found home with REI where he prospered beyond belief. He was slow to mature and had been on the small side at birth but at five he has matured into a wonderful stallion that shows off what his mother is capable of and boosted interest in his sire. This colt is now G1 and has placed in multiple HOTY stakes races with over a $1.1 million in earnings. Upon retirement, we know this stallion will represent the Tricky Cat line well.

Arlecat was quite the ugly duckling as a foal but has since grown into a handsome two year. He's having some trouble finding his footing on the track but he is and always will be a crowd pleaser through and through. He's placed in several HOTY races to date and we'll continue to run him that way as the colt enjoys a challenge and no matter where he places he's always willing to try three times as hard next time around. To date he has come second in the REMSON STAKES*, BULL DOG STAKES* and third in the GRAND BAY DERBY** - a race series held near and dear to the stable owner's heart - and the START STREET STAKES*.

We've waited five years to finally be graced with a Tricky Cat daughter to carry on her blossoming bloodline. While this line will be one hundred percent confined within KC Racing/Kennington Stud's walls (with the exception of Super Cat who will stand at REI in the future), we are happy to have a potential successor to Tricky Cat's female line even though her male descendants will no doubt be amazing broodmare sires.

This little girl was born earlier this year and sired by one of Ar Y Fffin's stables popular horses - Seattle Lightning. The stable has gone on as a sleeper hit but we know potential when we see it. This will be the first daughter for the SPEED FESTIVAL** winner and also the first daughter for Tricky Ca.

She's already high spirited and ambitious much like her sire and we can only pray that she follows in his footsteps on the track and in her dam's shadow when she retires in the future to have her own prodigal children.