Kitten’s Joy, the champion turf male of 2004 and North America’s two-time leading general sire, has died at age 21.
Though apparently in optimal health with no signs of concern, it is believed that he most likely died of a heart attack.
Kitten’s Joy would never finish worse than second after moving to the turf. In addition to his trio of Grade 3 scores, his 2004 campaign featured victories in the G3 Virginia Derby and G1 Secretariat Stakes. He then jumped up to face older foes during his 3-year-old season, notching a victory in the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes and a runner-up effort in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Lone Star Park. He finished the 2004 season with the Eclipse Award as champion turf male.
He was a prepotent sire who topped the North American general leading sires list in 2013 and 2018 and was the leading turf sire for six consecutive years from 2013.
In total, Kitten’s Joy has sired 981 winners, with combined progeny earnings in excess of $128 million. He has sired 58 graded or group stakes winners and 126 total stakes winners.