Owner Patricia Generazio and trainer Christophe Clement had a speedy front-runner, Pure Sensation, and a solid closer, Disco Partner, entered in Saturday’s $300,000 Jaipur (G3) at Belmont Park. As it turned out, Pure Sensation’s hot splits conveniently set the table for Disco Partner to win the six-furlong turf dash by a half-length from 5-2 favorite Green Mask.
Pure Sensation, who led all the way to the win the 2016 Jaipur by a neck over Disco Partner, set a much quicker tempo this time. The teletimer caught the opening quarter in :21.43, followed by a half-mile in :43.04.
Despite the wicked splits, Pure Sensation hung tough until inside the furlong marker when Holding Gold, Green Mask, and Disco Partner all rallied. Charging up the inside and then splitting Pure Sensation and Green Mask, Disco Partner forged clear under Irad Ortiz Jr. to win. The final time on firm ground was recorded as 1:05.67, which may not hold up to future scrutiny.
The 9-2 third choice in a field of 10, Disco Partner paid $11.60. Green Mask finished a half-length ahead of Holding Gold, with Pure Sensation 2 3/4 lengths farther back in fourth. Hogy, Undrafted, Loose On the Town, Stormy Liberal, Canadian Flyer, and Conquest Enforcer rounded out the order of finish.
“Disco Partner had a great trip,” Clement said. “Irad had him placed in a good position and he was able to take advantage and move forward to finish in the end. Irad has been riding great and he did a good job again here today. Pure Sensation went a notch quicker than I like, because he was very comfortable in front. Leparoux [aboard Loose On the Town] challenged him, which took its toll on him but saying that, he opened up away again at the quarter pole. He just paid for it again at the last sixteenth.”
This is the third career stakes win for Disco Partner, who captured the $100,000 Troy at Saratoga last season and prepped for the Jaipur with a 1 3/4-length score in the $150,000 Elusive Quality at Belmont April 29, his first start since moving from the Jim Ryerson stable to Clement’s. The five-year-old gray’s record now stands at 17-7-4-2, $621,810
Bred in New York by Generazio, Disco Partner is by Disco Rico an out of the Numerous mare Lulu’s Number, who is also the dam of the stakes-placed Don Six’s Number.
