Grade 1 winner Wildcat Heir got off to a fast start at stud when his filly Kitty in the Bag, the first starter from his debut crop of 2-year-olds, cruised to an impressive 3 1/4-length win in a $36,000 maiden special weight heat on April 1st at Santa Anita.

Wildcat Heir, a son of the late Forest Wildcat, stands at Brent and Crystal Fernung’s Journeyman Stud in Ocala, Florida. Kitty in the Bag, a dark bay or brown filly out of the Friendly Lover mare, Gold Bag Lady, was bred in Florida by Ken Breitenbecker Jr., the general manager at Journeyman.

Bet down to favoritism at 6-5, Kitty in the Bag was far from disappointing in her career unveiling, opening up right out of the gates under Tyler Baze to win handily over the field of 10. The final time for the two-furlong event was 21.11 seconds on the straightaway stretch-run over the local synthetic surface. Melvin Stute trains Kitty in the Bag for owners Patrick and Elizabeth Everard.

Wildcat Heir, who moves to the top of the Freshman Sires List, had a $57,154 average among his first 2-year-olds to sell in 2009, and four of his 2-year-olds made news at the OBS March Select Sale breezing under 10 seconds for an eighth of a mile. Wildcat Heir is a Taylor Made/WinStar venture and stands at Journeyman as a syndicated stallion.

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