by Frank Angst

Forest Wildcat, sire of 16 graded stakes winners, died late Thursday evening.

Fred Seitz’s Brookdale Farm in Versailles, Kentucky, reported the 17-year-old Storm Cat stallion died from unknown causes after emergency surgery at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington. The farm said it expects to determine a cause of death after a necropsy is performed.

A two-time Grade 3 winner while racing from 1993-’96, Forest Wildcat enjoyed success as a stallion. In his five-year-old season, Var, by Forest Wildcat, earned English highweight honors as a sprinter in 2004 when he won the Majestic Barriere Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (Fr-G1).

Forest Wildcat also is the sire of D’ Wildcat Speed, who won all 12 of this three-year-old season starts in 2003 and earned Horse of the Year honors in Puerto Rico. Racing in North America in his final two seasons, D’ Wildcat Speed won two stakes including the Rampart Handicap (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

Other top winners for Forest Wildcat include Grade 1 winners Forest Secrets, D’wildcat, and Wildcat Heir, and multiple Grade 2 winner Snow Dance.

Forest Wildcat currently ranks third in stakes winners this year with 12, including Coolmore Lexington Stakes (G2) winner Behindatthebar. He currently ranks 19th this year in progeny earnings at $4,092,568 through August 21. He stood for $35,000 this season.

Frank Angst is senior writer of Thoroughbred Times