Undefeated DISCREET CAT (Forestry) walked through Godolphin’s shedrow at
Belmont Park on Sunday, one day after his easy 3 1/4-length win in the Cigar
Mile (G1) at Aqueduct. With that score, the bay colt moved his record to a
perfect six-for-six.
“He was a little tired, which is to be expected,” said Rick Mettee,
who supervises Godolphin’s New York string for trainer Saeed bin Suroor. “He’ll get a couple of days off and we’re going to
go very easy on him. I knew this was going to be a race where he would be
pushed. For the first time, he had to come off the bridle and find more. It was
great to watch.”
Discreet Cat set a new stakes record in the Cigar after stopping the clock in
1:32.46, just 0.06 off Easy Goer’s track record set in the 1989 Gotham S. (G2).
The sophomore began his career with a 3 1/2-length maiden special weight win at
Saratoga last year, was purchased privately by Godolphin and made his 2006 bow a
four-length allowance win at Nad al Sheba in Dubai. His next start resulted in a
six-length victory in the U.A.E. Derby (UAE-G2) over eventual Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1)
hero and Horse of the Year contender Invasor (Arg) (Candy Stripes), that one’s
only loss to date. Discreet Cat is now scheduled for a break before targeting
the March 31 Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1).
“Even though Discreet Cat only ran three times in New York, he’s been in
training since last winter in Dubai,” Mettee said. “Off an effort in the Cigar,
it’s a good time to give him a break.”
Discreet Cat is scheduled to ship to Payson Park in Florida on Tuesday before
making the overseas journey back to Dubai in late December. Joining him on that
plane ride will be the undefeated juvenile Day Pass (Five Star Day), who
captured the Nashua S. (G3) at Aqueduct. Godolphin runners Ashkal Way (Ire) (Ashkalani),
who won the Citation H. (G1) at Hollywood Park after spending much of 2006
scoring in New York, and Afrashad (Smoke Glacken), victor in the Fall Highweight
H. at Aqueduct, will both winter at Payson Park before heading back to New York
for a 2007 campaign.
“We never had more than 10 horses, although we had good horses to pull from,”
Mettee added. “We’re pretty much ending the year with the same horses we began
with. I think most of our horses deserve a break.”