Ben's Cat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ben's Cat |
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Ben's Cat winning the 2016 Jim McKay Turf Sprint in a photo finish
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| Sire | Parker's Storm Cat |
| Grandsire | Storm Cat |
| Dam | Twofox |
| Damsire | Thirty Eight Paces |
| Sex | Gelding |
| Foaled | April 17, 2006 in Maryland |
| Died | July 18, 2017 (aged 11) |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Dark bay |
| Breeder | K. T. Leatherbury Associates Inc. |
| Owner | The Jim Stable |
| Trainer | King T. Leatherbury |
| Record | 63: 32-9-7 |
| Earnings | $2,643,782 |
| Major wins | |
| Find Handicap (2010) Pennsylvania Governor's Cup Handicap (2011) Laurel Dash Stakes (2011,2013) Mister Diz Stakes (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) Maryland Million Turf Sprint Handicap (2010, 2011, 2012) Jim McKay Turf Sprint (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016) Turf Monster Handicap (2011, 2012) Fabulous Strike Handicap (2012, 2013, 2014) Parx Dash Handicap (2012, 2013, 2014) |
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| Honors | |
| Secretariat Vox Populi Award (2017) Ben's Cat Stakes at Laurel Park Maryland-bred Horse of the Year (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014) |
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| Last updated on 1 May 2020 | |
Ben's Cat (born April 17, 2006 – died July 18, 2017) was an amazing American Thoroughbred racehorse. He won a huge 26 important races called "stakes races." He was especially good at winning the Mister Diz Stakes (six times!) and the Jim McKay Turf Sprint (five times!).
Ben's Cat was named the best Maryland-bred horse four times. In 2017, he received a special award called the Secretariat Vox Populi Award, which honors horses that fans love. Ben's Cat stopped racing in June 2017. He had won 32 races out of 63 starts and earned over $2.6 million! Sadly, he passed away in July 2017 after surgery for a stomach problem. He was later buried at Laurel Park racetrack.
About Ben's Cat
Ben's Cat was bred by King T. Leatherbury, who was also his owner and trainer. Ben's Cat was a dark bay gelding. A gelding is a male horse that cannot have babies. His father was a horse named Parker's Storm Cat, and his mother was Twofox.
King T. Leatherbury was a very successful trainer. Even though his stable (where horses are kept) was small, Ben's Cat's success helped Leatherbury get into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
Ben's Racing Career
When Ben's Cat was two years old, he broke his pelvis. He spent almost a year getting better. He didn't start his first race until he was four years old. On May 8, 2010, he won his very first race at Pimlico racetrack. In this race, he could have been bought for $20,000. He won his second race on June 14. His trainer, Leatherbury, was very lucky that no one bought him!
Ben's Cat then went on a winning streak. He won his first stakes race on August 21 in the Mister Diz Stakes. He became known as a very talented horse who often won races by just a tiny bit, in what's called a "photo finish." On October 2, he won the Maryland Million Turf Sprint Handicap for the first time. He also won the Find Handicap, which was a longer race.
Ben's Cat could win on both dirt and grass tracks. He could also win at different distances. However, his trainer decided to focus on shorter races on grass tracks. Because of this, Ben's Cat raced in many of the same races each year. He set some amazing winning records:
- He won the Mister Diz Stakes six years in a row, from 2010 to 2015.
- He won the Maryland Million Turf Sprint Handicap three times in a row, from 2010 to 2012.
- He won the Jim McKay Turf Sprint at Pimlico Race Course five times, including four times in a row from 2013 to 2016.
- He won the Turf Monster Handicap in both 2011 and 2012.
- He won the Parx Dash Handicap from 2012 to 2014.
Ben's Cat also won the Fabulous Strike Handicap on a dirt track three times, from 2012 to 2014.
Ben's Cat had many dedicated fans. His trainer, Leatherbury, said in 2015 that people loved him because he raced for so long. Most horses race for a short time and then disappear. But Ben's Cat kept coming back year after year, so his fans could enjoy his success.
Ben's Cat's last win was on May 20, 2016, in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint. He was far behind and stuck in traffic during the race. His trainer thought he wouldn't even place third. But Ben's Cat found a way through the other horses and won right at the finish line!
Ben's Cat raced eight more times after that win, but he didn't finish better than third place. After he finished ninth in the Mister Diz Stakes on June 24, 2017, his trainer decided it was time for him to retire.
Ben's Cat finished his career with 32 wins from 63 races. This included 26 stakes race victories. He earned over $2.6 million in total. He retired to a farm in Kentucky.
Ben's Death
Soon after arriving at the farm, Ben's Cat became very sick with colic. Colic is a type of stomach pain in horses. On July 6, 2017, he had surgery. Sadly, he had serious problems after the surgery. He was humanely euthanized (put to sleep) on July 18.
His trainer, Leatherbury, was very sad. He said it was a "tragic end for a magnificent horse." On November 11, Ben's Cat was buried at Laurel Park racetrack.
Honors for Ben's Cat
Ben's Cat was named the Maryland-bred Horse of the Year four times, from 2011 to 2014. He also won 17 other awards in Maryland for being a top older horse, sprinter, and turf horse.
In 2016, a race at Laurel Park for Maryland-bred horses was named the Ben's Cat Stakes in his honor. In 2017, Ben's Cat won the Secretariat Vox Populi Award. This award honors horses whose stories make people love horse racing.
See also
- Repeat winners of horse races
