Catholic Boy Sold to Harris Farms

Dual-surface grade 1 winner Catholic Boy has been sold to Harris Farms and will join its 2025 roster, the California farm announced Oct. 21. The multi-millionaire is a son of More Than Ready and among the top eight second-crop sires by number of black-type performers. He will stand for $6,000. Catholic Boy campaigned three seasons, winning six graded stakes and becoming only the third American 3-year-old in history to win a grade 1 race on both dirt and turf. He won the 2018 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) with a gutsy performance at Belmont Park and came back in his next start to take the Travers Stakes (G1) over United States champion Good Magic, Canadian champion Wonder Gadot, and eventual Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Vino Rosso. Those victories put Catholic Boy in the elite company of the legendary Kentucky Derby (G1) winners and dual-surface grade 1 3-year-olds Secretariat (also winner of the Man o' War Stakes, G1T) and California Chrome (who won the Hollywood Derby, G1T). In a career hallmarked by versatility, Catholic Boy earned $2,134,000, with seven victories and two seconds from 13 starts at nine different tracks. He broke his maiden at 2, going 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf at Gulfstream Park. He got tested in a graded stakes in his second career start and captured the With Anticipation Stakes (G3T) by a length going 1 1/16 miles at Saratoga Race Course. After a close fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) at Del Mar, he romped by nearly five lengths in his dirt debut, the nine-furlong Remsen Stakes (G2) over the main track at Aqueduct Racetrack. In addition to his grade 1 victories, he also won the Pennine Ridge Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park and placed in the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) during his sophomore season. Returning at 4, he won the 1 1/16-mile Dixie Stakes (G2T) at Pimlico Race Course and was runner-up in the Suburban Stakes (G2) at Belmont. Catholic Boy represents an internationally influential and thriving sire line. More Than Ready was a leading sire on two continents and sired grade/group 1 winners in seven countries. His sons have sired grade 1 and classic winners in North America and Australia, and his son Gimmiethegreenlight (AUS) was a multiple leading sire in South Africa. "I feel Catholic Boy has unlimited potential, and will be a major player. He is one of the best stallions Harris Farms has had, and we have had several," said John Harris, president and chairman of Harris Farms. "Catholic Boy had speed that could carry, winning grade 1s on both dirt and turf at a mile and one-quarter. We are very excited for the opportunity to stand him in California," said Jonny Hilvers, general manager of Harris Farms. Catholic Boy has sired 44 winners, led by multiple-stakes winner El Catolico and stakes-placed performers Barbratina, Destiny Star, Rock'n a Halo, Faith Understood, Lady d'Oro, Young Pope, and Rey de Aragon, who all represent different broodmare sire lines. Catholic Boy is out of the Bernardini daughter of Song of Bernadette, who is from the family of English and Irish highweight 3-year-old colt (2022) and older horse (2003) Hawk Wing; European highweight 3-year-old filly (1989) Lucky Song; and 1985 Canadian champion 3-year-old filly and Queens Plate winner La Lorgnette.