Cigar Mile - Brisnet

Last updated: 11/25/06 10:11 PM

Discreet Cat kept his streak going in the Cigar Mile
(Debra Kral/Horsephotos.com)

Godolphin’s DISCREET CAT (Forestry) raced on or very close to a wicked early
pace in Saturday’s $294,000
Cigar Mile H. (G1) before accelerating away from his
rivals with a dazzling turn of foot at the top of the stretch, eventually
recording a 3 1/4-length victory in his Grade 1 debut. An impressive winner in
all six of his career starts, the Saeed bin Suroor-trained sophomore colt
established a new stakes mark of 1:32.46 under little more than a hand ride,
barely missing Easy Goer’s track record (1:32.40) over the fast Aqueduct oval.
He’s been fun to watch so far, and his trainer is looking forward to 2007.

“The way he won today was brilliant,”
bin Suroor said. “Next year, he will be an
older horse. He’ll be stronger and (a longer) distance will be fine for him. I’m
sure he will improve.”

The 1-5 favorite over four rivals, Discreet Cat generated payoffs of $2.50,
$2.10 and $2.10. Badge of Silver (Silver Deputy) edged Silver Train (Old
Trieste) by a neck for the place at 7-1, returning $4.40 and $2.10, and third
gave back $2.10 at 4-1. Dixie Meister (Holzmeister) came next under the wire and
was followed by Sharp Humor (Distorted Humor). The exacta paid $8.40, and the
4-1-2 trifecta was $13.20.

Sharp Humor came in and bumped the eventual winner leaving the starting gate,
then quickly sprinted to the lead to establish an opening quarter-mile in :22
3/5. Jockey Garrett Gomez was content to rate patiently aboard Discreet Cat, but
the talented colt pulled his way to the fore and stuck his head in front while
between rivals through a half-mile in an eye-opening :44 4/5. Gomez allowed
Badge of Silver to grab a brief lead along the rail in the far turn, and he was
sitting chilly in the saddle as that rival passed six furlongs in 1:07 3/5, with
Discreet Cat only a head back. The bay colt dominated the final quarter-mile,
quickly opening a sizable advantage while cruising to the finish line.

“I had plenty of horse in the stretch,” Gomez explained. “I showed him
the stick a couple of times and he went about his business. He’s never been hit
with it. I’ve been excited ever since I put a leg on him. To run as fast as they
ran and the way he was doing it, he’s just a nice horse.”

Bred in Kentucky by E. Paul Robsham, Discreet Cat has made it look easy so
far, winning his six starts by a combined 38 lengths. Godolphin acquired him
privately following his career debut in August 2005, but Discreet Cat didn’t
make his second start until March, winning an allowance race at Nad al Sheba in
Dubai. He followed that with a smashing six-length win in the U.A.E. Derby
(UAE-G2), handing eventual Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Invasor (Arg)
(Candy Stripes) his lone career setback, and returned to the United States this
spring. A virus forced him to miss valuable training time early in the summer,
and Discreet Cat didn’t make it back to the races until late August, winning an
allowance/optional claiming event at Saratoga, and he prepped for the Cigar with
a 10 1/4-length romp in the Jerome Breeders’ Cup H. (G2).

Out of 1995 Alabama S. (G1) heroine Pretty Discreet (Private Account),
Discreet Cat is a half-brother to multiple stakes winner and two-time Grade 1
runner-up Pretty Wild (Wild Again). He also has a yearling half-brother named
Discreet Treasure (El Prado [Ire]) and a weanling half-sister by Empire Maker.

With Saturday’s $180,000 payday, Discreet Cat has now earned $1,554,180.
He’ll winter in Dubai and will be pointed to the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) on
March 31, with the possibility of a prep race beforehand.