NYRA/Adam Coglianese
Patricia Generazio’s Discreet Marq, to be offered as a racing/broodmare prospect at the November 3 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, had one last hurrah for the Christophe Clement barn at Belmont Park on Empire Showcase Day, winning the 1 1/16-mile, $200,000 Ticonderoga for New York-bred turf fillies and mares by three lengths after a stalking trip and pushing her career earnings into seven-figure territory.
Making her sixth start of 2014 in the Ticonderoga, Discreet Marq had yet to put one in the win column this year, but has been racing competitively in Grade 1 races or in Grade 1 company. The grey finished second by a half-length in the Jenny Wiley at Keeneland to kick off her campaign in April and a close-up fourth the Just A Game at Belmont in June. From two starts in Saratoga she was third in the Diana, and second in the restricted Yaddo behind fellow New York-bred Grade 1-winning turf star Dayatthespa. Just two weeks before the Ticonderoga, back at Keeneland, Discreet Marq ended up sixth in the First Lady, but just 3 1/2 lengths behind the winner, once again Dayatthespa.
NYRA/Adam Coglianese
Breaking from post ten in the field of 12, Discreet Marq (4-5) set up in a perfect stalking position in the two path under Irad Ortiz, Jr. behind longshot One Time Only, biding her time through three-quarters of a mile. Moving decisively on the far turn, she took over confidently while turning for home and never had an anxious moment before finishing three lengths to the good in a final time 1:44.36.
Old Harbor closed on the outside to pick up second, while Selenite finished three lengths back in third, followed by Effie Trinket, winner of the race last year. Chrysolite, Caribean Beat, Strike Accord, Invading Humor, Run to Mama, Stock Fund, One Time Only and Mah Jong Maddnes completed the order of finish. [VIDEO]
Both trainer and rider appear to have approached the race with confidence. All smiles, Christophe Clement said, “There’s a saying, ‘There’s nothing like the drop,’ and I guess this confirms it. She’s been running in Grade 1s all along and this was an easy race, and she won it very nicely. She’s never run a bad race. She’s a lovely mare.”
Ortiz added, “She’s such a nice filly. She broke well, I sat and waited, and when I asked her, she took off. There weren’t any surprises.”
NYRA/Adam Coglianese
Discreet Marq’s sixth career stakes victory, led by last year’s triumphs in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks and Grade 2 Sands Point, netted $120,000 to bring her lifetime earnings to $1,067,900.
A four-year-old daughter of Discreet Cat foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia, Discreet Marq is out of the multiple stakes winning and graded stakes placed Marquetry mare To Marquet ($198,236), a Kentucky-bred Generazio homebred. Frank Generazio Jr. bred To Marquet’s dam, Florida-bred Pretty Momma, also a multiple stakes winner.
To Marquet has produced two more successful turf stakes performers. Marquet Cat (Cat Thief) has earned nearly $400,000 from 61 starts and Marquet Madness (Pico Central) earned over $200,000. To Marquet currently has a yearling colt named Too Discreet and a weaning colt, both full siblings to Discreet Marq. She was bred to Ghostzapper this year.
