Congratulations Artic Storm Cat
Big congratulations to our Red Bucket Giveaway, Artic Storm Cat, a rare white Thoroughbred, and his owner Alison Galeotafiore!
“There was something about Artic, not only his unique beauty but his energy, that touched me on a deep level.”
About Artic Storm Cat:
Only 170 white American Thoroughbreds had been registered with the Jockey Club since its founding in 1894 when Artic Storm Cat was registered there nine years ago. The odds of one mare bearing two of them—almost impossible. In this case, two beautiful white foals came from two different sires, but the white strain is through the dam’s side. So when Princesspatseattle, a resident mare at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, New York, gave birth to her second white son—history was made.
The beautiful mare is dark bay/brown—on the exact opposite end of the color spectrum from white—and she’s a granddaughter of the great Triple Crown winner, Seattle Slew. (Slew was known for his nearly-black appearance, and all the nearly-black babies he threw.) So it’s not unexpected that Princesspatseattle is dark bay/black—but one surprise is that she has several beautiful patches of white on her lush body. These white patches are the heads-up that this mare is packin’ the DNA at least to contribute white genes to her foals. The result was two completely white Thoroughbred foals.
The scientific throwback can be explained by geneticists and other experts who could tell us exactly where lies the twist in the DNA that brings such beautiful creatures to life. The word, “miracle” may come into play when we talk about a dark bay/brown mare giving birth to two white foals within two years. But the answer lies as close as her sire, for the beautifully-marked mare is a daughter of Airdrie Apache, a red-and-white paint (loud spotted sabino) Thoroughbred son of Mr. P’s son, Naevus. Airdrie Apache’s dam, Not Quite White, is a dominant white. Artic Storm Cat was sired by Winstar Farm’s millionaire, the brilliant Bluegrass Cat. Between his dam’s side and his sire—Artic Storm Cat is royally bred. A little prince born on a beautiful farm in upstate New York.
Nowadays, Artic’s dam Princesspatseattle resides in Kentucky at Berva Megson’s beautiful farm, where she breeds white thoroughbreds. So far, Princesspatseattle has yet to foal another white baby; she is pregnant, so who knows what’s to come! God bless you, Artic Storm Cat! Safe travels as you carve out your piece of horse racing history and beyond!
To read more about Artic Storm Cat and Alison’s magical journey, visit The Plaid Horse.
What a truly inspiring and an amazing dream come true, Alison! We are honored to have you as our Red Bucket Giveaway winner this year and part of the StressLess family.
Follow the adventures of Artic Storm Cat:
Instagram @articstormcat
Facebook @articstormcat
Photo credits: Natalie Loizzo @nlphotoequine and Ted Wollmers
