Dubai-based trainer Doug Watson with Kentucky bloodstock agent Conor Foley went to $400,000 to buy Cats by Five (Hip 454), a 3-year-old Audible colt, for RRR Racing during the July 8 Fasig-Tipton July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale. The colt was the day’s second-highest-priced purchase.
RRR Racing is owned by Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, who campaigns Godolphin Mile (G2) winner Isolate . Nuaimi’s father is the ruler of Ajman, one of the seven emirates within the United Arab Emirates.
Watson has been in the United States trying to buy some horses privately, but with the better horses commanding premium prices, he made his first trip to the Fasig-Tipton July Sale in Lexington. Cats by Five was being raced by Goncalo Torrealba’s Three Chimneys Farm with trainer Steve Asmussen and was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency.
“His form stands out. You have to have speed at Meydan, so we expect it will translate,” Watson said. “He is a nice-sized horse and really athletic looking.”
Westwind Farms bred Cats by Five in Kentucky out of the unraced Bluegrass Cat daughter Catticus. The mare has produced three winners from five to race including grade 3 winner Bob’s Edge (Competitive Edge ) and stakes winner Watch Me Burn (Hold Me Back ). Catticus is out of stakes winner Cupids Revenge, making her a half sister to grade 1-placed, grade 3 winner Restrainedvengence and stakes winner B G Suavecito.
Three Chimneys bought Cats by Five for $575,000 from Blandford Stud’s consignment at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He went to win or place seven times out of 10 starts and has earned $157,690. In May, the colt was runner-up in the six-furlong Chick Lang Stakes (G3) at Pimlico Race Course. Earlier this year Cats by Five was also third in the Bachelor Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
Foley, who owns Oracle Bloodstock, said the colt cost a bit more than they had hoped but that he was a quality racehorse.
“He has a lot of upside, he’s not been stretched out yet,” he said.
Watson has been training for Nuaimi since 2008 when he acquired the stakes winner Force Freeze. The sheikh then took time off from horse racing but is now back with a renewed passion for the sport.
“He is really enjoying the game and wanting to get more involved,” the trainer said. “He is excited about the wins but also good about the losses. It is nice having an owner like that.”
Watson said Cats by Five will be shipped to Dubai in about six weeks. He’ll get some time off and then will start preparing for the Carnival meet that starts in mid-December.
“We only looked at colts and geldings here,” he said. “This horse has the early speed you really need at Meydan and just really ticked all the boxes for what you need in Dubai. I’m excited.”
