It was announced Saturday, Nov. 8 that Multiple Graded Stakes winner Cowtown Cat, who topped the 2006 Barretts March Sale at $1.5 Million, has been retired from racing and will stand at Brent and Crystal Fernung's Journeyman Stud in Florida.

Raced by WinStar Farm and Gulf Coast Farms, Cowtown Cat broke his maiden at Belmont by 4 1/2 lengths as a Two-Year-Old. He then went on to win the $500,000 Grade 2 Illinois Derby in wire-to-wire fashion by 2 1/4 lengths and the $200,000 Grade 3 Gotham Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths, a race previously won by Native Dancer, Dr. Fager and Gone West. In addition, Cowtown Cat placed in the $150,000 Grade 2 Swale Stakes and the Timeless Native Stakes. He retires with earnings of $562,228.

Cowtown Cat is a son of Champion Sire Distorted Humor, the Leading Sire of Stakes winners in 2005, 2006 and 2007. He is out of Tom's Cat, by Storm Cat. There are 20 Stakes Performers under the first 4 dams of his pedigree.

"Cowtown Cat has a striking physical resemblance to his Champion Sire, Distorted Humor," said Doug Cauthen, President of WinStar Farm. "Of all of Distorted Humor's sons, I would have to say Cowtown Cat looks most like his sire. We feel Florida breeders will love a $1.5 Million Sales Topping Two-Year-Old who came out early and displayed speed with the ability to carry it a distance of ground. We have already enjoyed much success with Journeyman Stud so this is clearly a natural fit. He really could be any kind of Sire."

"Cowtown Cat was one of the very best Two-Year-Old prospects we've ever sold...and when you consider that others in that category have included stallions like Unbridled's Song, Yes It's True, Officer, and the emerging Henny Hughes, I think that's a pretty good indicator of his potential," said Jerry Bailey, co-owner of Gulf Coast Farms.

Cowtown Cat will stand for a fee of $8,000 stands and nurses.

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