Grade 2 winner Calgary Cat highlights big Nov. for Denali grads

Calgary Cat captured Woodbine’s Kennedy Road S. (G2) on Sunday to top a big eight-day span in November for Denali Stud grads. Three Hearts, Yahilwa, and Regal Minister, all either Denali sales or farm grads, also registered black-type scores during this time frame.

Calgary Cat, a dominating two-length winner of the six-furlong Kennedy Road in 1:08 2/5, just two ticks off the track record, established himself as a serious contender for Canadian champion sprinter honors with Sunday’s victory. 

Four-year-old Calgary Cat was sold by Denali at the Fasig-Tipton October Kentucky Yearling sale.

“He trained exceptionally well from the Spring time,” said winning trainer Kevin Attard. “We thought he had a good season ahead and we did it the right way. He went through his conditions, got his confidence and he’s really developed into a great horse. There was a lot on the line today and I was happy to see Sharp Sensation (entered), as he’s been getting a lot of press about being champion sprinter, but I think today it was decided that Calgary Cat is the top sprinter.”

Calgary Cat, bred in Ontario by WinStar Farm, netted $120,000 for the win and improved his record to 7-3-1 from 15 starts.

Denali sold Calgary Cat’s dam Big Sink Star (A.P. Indy), in foal to Bellamy Road, to Grey Flight for $150,000 at the Keeneland November sale. 

Nov. 23 at Del Mar, Denali foaled and raised Three Hearts held off several challengers to tally her first stakes win in the $100,000 Red Carpet H. (G3). 

Previously based on the East Coast before recently moving to the barn of Neil Drysdale, Three Hearts improved her career mark to 3-3-3 in 14 races with earnings of $192,249. 

Homebred Three Hearts is by Hat Trick (JPN) out of Barry Irwin’s Grade One-placed mare Secret Heart (SAF) and is a half-sister to 2010 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) winner Pluck. 

Also on Nov. 23, Yahilwa shipped from her southern California base to Delta Downs to score a popular victory in the $200,000 Treasure Chest S. The win was the first black-type score for the 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro; she finished second earlier this year in the Grade 3 Adoration S. at Santa Anita.

Denali sold Yahilwa as a yearling at the 2011 Keeneland September sale.

Nov. 16 at Aqueduct, the Denali-raised Regal Minister remained undefeated with a dominating 3 ¾-length victory in the $100,000 Notebook S. The 2-year-old colt by Posse broke his maiden five weeks prior at Belmont Park.

“He’s a neat kind of horse,” said winning trainer Mark Hennig of the DATTT Farm homebred. “He’s always trained well. He’s willing to go easy, but when a horse comes to him he’s competitive. He’s eligible for (the New York Stallion Stakes Great White Way Dec. 28}, so we’ll definitely point to that.”

 Regal Minister has now banked $96,000 in his two starts.