RACING NEWS:

Deputy Minister sired seven new stakes winners in 2003, and seven 2003 stakes performers from his 2000 foal crop, including recent SWs FAST COOKIE (dam by Avenue of Flags) and REMIND (dam by Timeless Moment).

FAST COOKIE drew off for a decisive decisive 3 3/4-length victory in the $250,000 Cotillion H. (G2) after running third at Churchill Downs in the La Trioenne S. (G3). At 2 in 2002, she was second by a nose in the $150,000 Astarita S. (G2) and scored a sensational 5 3/4-length Belmont Park maiden win.

REMIND captured Keeneland's one mile Storm Cat S. on the turf in 1:36.33, just .32 off PERFECT SOUL'S time in the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile S. [G1] the previous day. In his four previous starts, he ran second in four graded stakes: Delaware Park's $250,000 Kent Breeders' Cup S. (G3), the $175,000 Arlington Classic S. (G2), the $220,000 Jefferson Cup S. (G3) at Churchill Downs, and the Crown Royal American Turf S. (G3) at Churchill Downs, following back-to-back maiden and allowance wins at Gulfstream Park.

Other leading sophomore runners of 2003 included MINISTER’S WILDCAT (dam by Kris S.), a decisive winner of the Golden State Mile S., and placed in both the $200,000 El Camino Real Derby (G3) and the Affirmed H. (G3),  stakes winner BEST MINISTER (dam by Halo), Dubai classic filly Ashraaf (dam by Wild Again), and graded stakes performers Retroactive (dam by Easy Goer), and Desert Warrior (dam by Secretariat ).

BEST MINISTER blew away a field of fellow three year olds to win the 11th running of the $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes on Preakness day by three widening lengths. Earlier in the year he earned a 102 Beyer rating while winning a Keeneland maiden special weigh by more than 12 lengths. He also finished second in the $100,000 Round Table H. at Arlington Park last fall.

Ashraaf, a stunning 5 1/4-length Belmont Park allowance winner  last summer, was a spectacular 10 1/2-length maiden winner at 2, and also runner-up in Dubai’s $200,000 Moonshell Mile and third in the $250,000 UAE Oaks in 2003.

Retroactive earned black type with a third-place finish in Aqueduct's Ladies H (G3) on December 20, following back-to-back Belmont Park allowance victories earlier last fall. 

Desert Warrior ran third in the Derby Trial S. (G3) at Churchill Downs. A wire to wire winner in his career debut at Belmont Park at 2, he was also second in Arlington Park's $100,000 Gilded Time S., and third in the $106,600 Tremont S. (G3) at Belmont.

Leading 2003 juvenile runners include Fleet Deputy (dam by Afleet), a closing third and beaten only a half-length and a neck in the $175,851 Riley Allison Thoroughbred Futurity on December 27.

SALES NEWS:

His 2003 sales horses include yearlings for up to $700,000 and a $550,000 OBS-at-Calder 2-year-old. He has a lifetime yearling sales average of $263,578, with individuals in 2002 for up to $1,650,000. Mares in foal to Deputy Minister sold for up to $1,525,000 at Keeneland November 2002.