Ministers Wild Cat Passes Two-Turn Test In Golden State Mile
By: John Gaver III

(Feb. 9, 2003) - Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale, who saddled Fusaichi Pegasus to win the Kentucky Derby in 2000, shipped his flashy Santa Anita maiden winner Ministers Wild Cat north to Albany, Calif. and to Golden Gate Fields to teach his charge how to rate among horses around two turns, and the Irving and Marjorie Cowan homebred passed the test to win the $66,950 Golden State Mile by a length and a quarter on Feb. 9.

The Deputy Minister colt still proved he's got some more learning to do, however.

Ministers Wild Cat was headstrong under jockey Kent Desormeaux pressing the early pace from the three path, and he jumped tire tracks, ended up on his wrong lead and drifted in during the stretch drive. These traits are signs of immaturity, understandable for a horse who was making his first start against winners in his two-turn debut.

"I think we accomplished our goals and we're going home happy," Desormeaux said. "We got him to go two turns and he learned some things today. He was gawking and dawdling in the lane and not laying his body down.

"When he saw the tire tracks (left by the starting gate in deep stretch), he jumped over them," Desormeaux continued. "That's all about maturing and next time he'll know what to expect. I think the most encouraging thing about him is his cat-like agility and his speed."

Sent off as the overwhelming 1-5 choice in the field of seven colts and geldings, Ministers Wild Cat pressed the pace from the three-path, just outside leaders Natural Balance and Es Speical. The bay colt was headstrong and pulled Deormeaux toward the front nearing the half-mile pole, but the rider had his mount well in hand and hauled in him in off the dueling pacesetters, focing the colt to rate.

At the top of the stretch, Desormeaux asked Ministers Wild Cat for run and the bay colt accelerated to a one-length lead nearing the eighth-pole. He ran greenly in the final furlong, however, running on his wrong lead (left or inside lead) and lugging-in inside the eighth-pole while holding off a solid finish from Winning Stripes. Clover Situation finished another three lengths back in third.

Es Special, Always Remember, Natural Balance and Demon Warlock completed the official order of finish. Allwood was scratched.

Ministers Wild Cat, a son of Deputy Minister and Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Hollywood Wildcat, returned $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10 and covered eight furlongs in 1:36 4/5 over a "fast" strip at Golden Gate Fields.

"We planned to let him experience some competition and that's what he got today," said Drysdale. "He seemed to be gawking a bit when he made the lead and Kent had to remind him what to do. He jumped the tire tracks and wound up on the wrong lead (left lead) but was good enough to win anyway."

The Golden State Mile serves as the local prep at Golden Gate for the $200,000 El Camino Real Derby (GIII), which will be run on Mar. 8. Drysdale, however, wouldn't immediately commit Ministers Wild Cat to the El Camino Real or any other.

"We'll take him home (to Hollywood Park) and decide where to go from here," Drysdale said.

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