Hollywood Wildcat (USA)
February 4, 1990 – June 23, 2012
Kris S. (USA) x Miss Wildcatter (USA), by Mr. Prospector (USA)
Family 4-r
February 4, 1990 – June 23, 2012
Kris S. (USA) x Miss Wildcatter (USA), by Mr. Prospector (USA)
Family 4-r
Although Sky Beauty swept the New York Triple Tiara series and the Alabama Stakes (USA-G1) as well, giving her four Grade 1 wins in 1993, she could not transfer her New York form to Santa Anita, where the 1993 Breeders’ Cup was contested. That left the door open for Hollywood Wildcat on the world’s biggest stage, and her thrilling victory over champion older female Paseana in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (USA-G1), with Sky Beauty trailing in fifth, left enough of an impression in the minds of Eclipse Award voters that she gained a narrow win over Sky Beauty for the divisional title. A versatile filly who won at the top level on both dirt and turf, Hollywood Wildcat was a Grade 1 winner again at 4 before becoming a successful broodmare.
Race record
21 starts, 12 wins, 3 seconds, 3 thirds, US$1,432,160
1992:
1993:
1994:
1995:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 117 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile fillies of 1992, 6 pounds below champion Eliza.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1993, 3 pounds above second-rated Sky Beauty.
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1994, 2 pounds below champion Sky Beauty.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf females of 1994, 1 pound below co-highweights Hatoof (the official divisional champion) and Flawlessly.
As an individual
A dark bay or brown mare, Hollywood Wildcat recovered from a hairline hind leg fracture that cut her juvenile season short to become a champion. She was absolutely game when racing. Off the track, she was described by owner Irving Cowan as “a pleasure to be around” while Marjorie Cowan called the mare “a real pet.”
As a producer
Hollywood Wildcat produced 12 named foals; all started and nine were winners. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Hollywood Wildcat was bred and owned by Irving and Marjorie Cowan. She was trained by Emanuel Tortora at 2. After losing her first four starts at 3, Hollywood Wildcat moved to the barn of Neil Drysdale. She was ridden to her Breeders’ Cup Distaff triumph by Eddie Delahoussaye. Hollywood Wildcat died from complications of cancer at Roseglade Farm, Wilburn, KY, in 2012; she was in foal to Kitten’s Joy at the time of her death.
Pedigree notes
Hollywood Wildcat is inbred 4x4 to 1955 American Horse of the Year Nashua. She is a half sister to listed stakes-placed Bald Cat (by Baldski), third dam of Chilean Group 2 winner Casablanca Fighter.
Hollywood Wildcat was produced from the unraced Mr. Prospector mare Miss Wildcatter, a half sister to Puerto Rican stakes winner Marirv (by Sensitivo). Miss Wildcatter is also a half sister to Sensitiv Elizabeth (by Sensitivo), dam of 1987 Gran Premio Ilustre Municipalidad de Santiago (CHI-G1) winner Triomphes (by Nobloys) and Chilean listed stakes winners War Paint (by Worldwatch) amd Estatico (by Worldwatch), second dam of Chilean Group 3 winner Weeping, and third dam of Chilean Group 2 winner Conservatorio.
Miss Wildcatter and her siblings are out of stakes-placed Elizabeth K. (by 1964 Queens County Handicap winner Third Martini, by Hasty Road), whose dam Baked Apple is a non-winning daughter of 1952 Tremont Stakes winner Hilarious (by Bimelech) out of the winner Appalachin (by 1950 Gimcrack Stakes winner Cortil). The next dam in Hollywood Wildcat’s tail-female line, Lantana (by Spy Song) is a winning half sister to 1952 Flamingo Stakes winner Charlie McAdam (by Heliopolis) and is out of Gumdrop, by Pharamond II.
Books and media
Footage of Hollywood Wildcat’s win in the 1993 Breeders’ Cup Distaff can be accessed through the Breeders’ Cup Hall of Champions (https://www.breederscup.com/history-tradition/hall-champions/hollywood-wildcat).
Fun facts
Last updated: March 5, 2023
Race record
21 starts, 12 wins, 3 seconds, 3 thirds, US$1,432,160
1992:
- Won Sorority Stakes (USA-G3, 6FD, Monmouth)
- Won Debutante Stakes (USA-L, 5,5FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Melaleuca Handicap (USA-L, 5.5FD, Calder)
1993:
- Won Hollywood Oaks (USA-G1, 9FD, Hollywood)
- Won Breeders' Cup Distaff (USA-G1, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Del Mar Oaks (USA-G2, 9FT, Del Mar)
- Won Lady's Secret Handicap (USA-L, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- Won San Clemente Handicap (USA-L, 8FT, Del Mar)
- 2nd Florida Oaks (USA-L, 8.5FD, Tampa Bay Downs)
- 3rd Azalea Handicap (USA-L, 7FD, Calder)
1994:
- Won Gamely Handicap (USA-G1, 9FT, Hollywood)
- Won Lady's Secret Handicap (USA-L, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Beverly Hills Handicap (USA-G1, 9FT, Hollywood)
- 2nd Ramona Handicap (USA-G1, 9FT, Del Mar)
- 3rd La Canada Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Santa Anita)
1995:
- Won Little Brianne Stakes (USA-L, 7FD, Santa Anita)
Honors
- Calder Race Course Hall of Fame (inducted in 2002)
- American champion 3-year-old filly (1993)
- Florida-bred Horse of the Year (1993)
- Florida-bred champion 3-year-old filly
Assessments
Rated at 117 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile fillies of 1992, 6 pounds below champion Eliza.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1993, 3 pounds above second-rated Sky Beauty.
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1994, 2 pounds below champion Sky Beauty.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf females of 1994, 1 pound below co-highweights Hatoof (the official divisional champion) and Flawlessly.
As an individual
A dark bay or brown mare, Hollywood Wildcat recovered from a hairline hind leg fracture that cut her juvenile season short to become a champion. She was absolutely game when racing. Off the track, she was described by owner Irving Cowan as “a pleasure to be around” while Marjorie Cowan called the mare “a real pet.”
As a producer
Hollywood Wildcat produced 12 named foals; all started and nine were winners. Her important foals are as follow:
- War Chant (1997, by Danzig) won the 2000 Breeders’ Cup Mile (USA-G1) and two Grade 2 races. The Jockey Club credits him with having sired 44 stakes winners from 1057 named foals of racing age as of July 15, 2021.
- Double Cat (1998, by Storm Cat) won the 2002 Queen of the Green Handicap at Turf Paradise.
- Ministers Wild Cat (2000, by Deputy Minister) won the listed Jacques Cartier Stakes at Woodbine as a 5-year-old. As of May 28, 2022, he has sired 21 stakes winners while standing as a regional sire in California.
- Ivan Denisovich (2003, by Danehill) won the 2005 July Stakes (ENG-G2) and placed in three Grade/Group 1 races. As of May 28, 2022, he has sired 15 stakes winners and is currently standing at Haras Don Alberto in Chile.
- Danish Wildcat (2004. by Danehill) was unplaced in three starts but is the dam of Danish Dynaformer (by Dynaformer), winner of the Breeders’ Stakes (third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown) in 2015 and the Singspiel Stakes (CAN-G3) in 2016.
- Spinning Wildcat (2009, by Hard Spun) won one of her six starts. She is the dam of 2021 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (JPN-G1) winner Danon Smash (by Lord Kanaloa).
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Hollywood Wildcat was bred and owned by Irving and Marjorie Cowan. She was trained by Emanuel Tortora at 2. After losing her first four starts at 3, Hollywood Wildcat moved to the barn of Neil Drysdale. She was ridden to her Breeders’ Cup Distaff triumph by Eddie Delahoussaye. Hollywood Wildcat died from complications of cancer at Roseglade Farm, Wilburn, KY, in 2012; she was in foal to Kitten’s Joy at the time of her death.
Pedigree notes
Hollywood Wildcat is inbred 4x4 to 1955 American Horse of the Year Nashua. She is a half sister to listed stakes-placed Bald Cat (by Baldski), third dam of Chilean Group 2 winner Casablanca Fighter.
Hollywood Wildcat was produced from the unraced Mr. Prospector mare Miss Wildcatter, a half sister to Puerto Rican stakes winner Marirv (by Sensitivo). Miss Wildcatter is also a half sister to Sensitiv Elizabeth (by Sensitivo), dam of 1987 Gran Premio Ilustre Municipalidad de Santiago (CHI-G1) winner Triomphes (by Nobloys) and Chilean listed stakes winners War Paint (by Worldwatch) amd Estatico (by Worldwatch), second dam of Chilean Group 3 winner Weeping, and third dam of Chilean Group 2 winner Conservatorio.
Miss Wildcatter and her siblings are out of stakes-placed Elizabeth K. (by 1964 Queens County Handicap winner Third Martini, by Hasty Road), whose dam Baked Apple is a non-winning daughter of 1952 Tremont Stakes winner Hilarious (by Bimelech) out of the winner Appalachin (by 1950 Gimcrack Stakes winner Cortil). The next dam in Hollywood Wildcat’s tail-female line, Lantana (by Spy Song) is a winning half sister to 1952 Flamingo Stakes winner Charlie McAdam (by Heliopolis) and is out of Gumdrop, by Pharamond II.
Books and media
Footage of Hollywood Wildcat’s win in the 1993 Breeders’ Cup Distaff can be accessed through the Breeders’ Cup Hall of Champions (https://www.breederscup.com/history-tradition/hall-champions/hollywood-wildcat).
Fun facts
- The Breeder’s Cup Distaff duel between Hollywood Wildcat and Paseana was selected by readers of The Blood-Horse as the 1993 “Race of the Year.” During the stretch drive, Eddie Delahoussaye dropped his whip about 70 yards from the finish, but as losing jockey Chris McCarron (on Paseana) said, “You didn’t need it.”
- War Chant’s victory in the 2000 Breeders’ Cup Mile (USA-G1) made Hollywood Wildcat the second Breeders’ Cup-winning mare to produce a Breeders’ Cup winner. (Personal Ensign, winner of the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Distaff, was the first, producing 1995 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, USA-G1, winner My Flag.)
- Hollywood Wildcat was the namesake for a stakes race at Gulfstream Park.
- Regarding the filly’s name, Irving Cowan quipped, “I tell my wife Hollywood Wildcat was named for her.” Hollywood Wildcat’s breeder-owners were residents of Hollywood, Florida, and Marjorie Cowan was the co-breeder of the filly’s dam, Miss Wildcatter.
Last updated: March 5, 2023