Hollywood Wildcat, BC Distaff winner and dam of War Chant, dies at 22

Champion Hollywood Wildcat, the 1993 Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner who produced 2000 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner War Chant, has died of cancer at age 22.

The mare died on June 23 at Roseglade Farm near Wilmore, Ky., according to Thoroughbred Times, which first reported it. She was reported in foal to Kitten’s Joy when she died.

A homebred racing for Irving and Marjorie Cowan, the Kris S. mare was voted champion 3-year-old filly in 1993 after she defeated the reigning champion mare Paseana by a nose in the Distaff. That capped a 1993 season that also saw Hollywood Wildcat win the Hollywood Oaks, Del Mar Invitational Oaks, and two listed stakes. Hollywood Wildcat came back to Grade 1 form again the next year, winning the Gamely Handicap and finishing second in the Beverly Hills and Ramona handicaps, as well as in the Grade 2 La Canada. She also scored her second consecutive win in the Lady’s Secret Handicap in 1994.

She retired with 12 wins, 3 seconds, and 3 thirds from 21 career starts, for earnings of $1,432,160.

Hollywood Wildcat proved an outstanding broodmare, too. Her second foal, the Danzig colt War Chant, won the Mile, the Oak Tree Breeders’ Cup Mile, and San Rafael Stakes in 2000 and also was second in that year’s Santa Anita Derby. War Chant now stands at Three Chimneys Farm near Midway, Ky.

Hollywood Wildcat also produced Group 1-placed Ivan Denisovich, by Danehill, a Group 2 winner in England who placed in a pair of American Grade 1’s, the 2006 Secretariat Stakes and Hollywood Derby. Hollywood Wildcat’s other good performers are stakes winner and Grade 2-placed Double Cat, listed winner and Grade 3-placed Ministers Wild Cat, Group 3-placed Shintoh, and 2011 stakes-placed Bold Warrior, a 4-year-old colt by Bernardini.