On June 22, precocious Desert Party stepped out at first asking to mark the first win for Street Cry's North American third-crop. Racing just four-and-a-half furlongs, the two year-old son of a Tabasco Cat stakes producer, Desert Party broke from the eleven stall into a full field of horses - all angled towards the fast approaching turn at Arlington Park. Smartly placed in fifth, the colt traveled well around the bend and responded professionally to jockey Renee Douglas’ mild urging to draw off to a three-and-three-quarter length victory in the $28,000 Maiden Special Weight dash. The Darley-owned colt traveled easily over the synthetic course in a time of 51.97 seconds; his rider barely lowered his chest towards the saddle.
The promising colt with a seemingly Midas touch has profited all of his previous owners. At Keeneland last September, Hunter Valley Farm consigned the April colt on behalf of Sinatra Thoroughbreds and Wayward Wind Farms. He was hammered down in the third session at $425,000 on behalf of Hidden Brook, with Paul Pompa, Jr. serving as agent. Pinhooked into the February Fasig-Tipton Calder Sale, Desert Party progressed for consignors Scanlon Training Center to glide through his previewing one-furlong breeze in 10 and two-fifths seconds; a move which caught the respect of John Ferguson, agent for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum. He went to $2.1 million to acquire the naturally gifted colt who shortly thereafter joined the Eoin Harty division of the Darley Stable.
All four of Desert Party’s race-age siblings have had success at the track. In contrast to Desert Party’s eight-to-five winning odds however, his half-sister, Elliecat , by Crafty Prospector, rewarded her bettors with a whopping $159 for a two-dollar wager when she won the Chou Croute Handicap at the Fair Grounds in February. Nicknamed ‘Ellie-Gator’, the savagely tempered front-runner keeps the Dallas Keen crew on their toes daily. She has earned $190,646 to date.
Leading first- and second-crop sire, Street Cry has crossed extremely well with Northern Dancer line mares to produce Stakes winners, including Street Sense and Majestic Roi. Desert Party’s dam, Sage Cat is herself a product of Northern Dancer’s grandson Storm Cat together with a double dose of Somethingroyal, by way of half-brothers Secretariat and Sir Gaylord.
