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 Sunday, April 30, 2006

  Churchill Downs, Race 1, Msw, 49,500, 2yo, 4 1/2f, :52, ft

  Napa Cat, C, 2, by Storm Cat

1st Dam: Compassionate (GSW, $175,043), by Housebuster

2nd Dam: Adored, by Seattle Slew

3rd Dam: Desiree, by Raise A Native

The appropriately named Napa Cat, owned by wine magnate Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables, had a long series of morning drills dating back to February and was no secret here as the crowd’s 4-5 choice. The $800,000 KEESEP yearling raced well off the rail tracking the leaders, ranged up to challenge nearing the quarter pole, took a narrow lead over Inca King (Sir Cat) a furlong out and inched away to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Inca King was second, with Southwestern Heat (Gone West), the first offspring of champion Xtra Heat, another three lengths back in third. The winner’s entrymate Carson Camp (Carson City) was scratched. From the family of successful sire Belong to Me, Napa Cat is out of graded winner Compassionate, a daughter of MGISW Adored. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $31,300.

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O: Stonestreet Stables LLC | B: Stonerside Stable (KY) | T: Steven M Asmussen