NYRA/Adam Coglianese
by Sarah Mace
Generazio homebred Too Discreet (Discreet Cat), a 2-year-old full-brother to multiple graded stakes-winning turf star Discreet Marq, is starting to make a name for himself in his own right.
The grey is a perfect two-for-two in his young career, and a stakes winner after getting up in the final jumps to win the $100,000 open Schenectady stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on the Mellon turf course at the Spa on Friday afternoon.
Too Discreet was partnered in the Schenectady with jockey Joel Rosario, aboard for the grey colt’s eye-catching maiden breaking turf score at Saratoga just 19 days earlier at the same distance. The original field of seven, five by post time as a results of early scratches when the turf course came up “good” after rain overnight, was reduced by one more when One Mean Man, acting up at the gate, was a late scratch.
After weathering the lengthy loading process, Too Discreet broke from the fence as the odds-on favorite and took part early in a four-horse scramble for the lead. First Montauk Cove was taken back, then Rosario, tight at the fence midway along the backstretch, took back also, letting Bruised Orange and Don’t Be So Salty go on with it.
Now 1 1/2 lengths behind the dueling leaders, Too Discreet tipped outside for the drive at the head of the stretch and made up some ground. He hit his best stride with a furlong to go, and in the final four jumps got up to win by neck. After early splits of 22.14 and 45.31, the grey stopped the clock after 5 1/2 furlongs at 1:04.3, followed across the line by Bruised Orange and Don’t Be So Salty noses apart and Montauk Cove four lengths back. [VIDEO]
NYRA/Adam Mooshian
Rosario said, “The ground was a little soft and he broke very, very sharp. It looked like the two horses in front really wanted the lead and I just had to take him back. I give him credit after that. It took him a little bit of time to get there, but he really got there.”
The rider continued, “I kept closing but I was not sure for a second because it took him a little time to really get to the two horses on the lead, but we got there. He’s a fighter. I wasn’t sure he was going to get there but he’s a good horse.”
Trainer Christophe Clement said, “It was a short field. We got lucky but the horse ran a really good race. I’ve got to talk to Joel [Rosario] to find out if he took him back by design or not, but anyway it worked, so, ‘Well done Joel.’ I don’t know if the wait to load the horses bothered him but if it did it probably bothered the other horses just as much so we were O.K. there.”
Clement also gave an assessment of the colt’s career path. “He’s a 2-year-old in his second start, so he’s still learning,” said Clement. “He’s a nice horse. He’s very well bred as a full brother to Discreet Marq and we’ll have to think now: Do we stretch him to a mile or do we just give him a break? I’m not sure. The important thing is next year in his career and I’ve got to speak to [breeders/owners] Mr. and Mrs. Generazio and we’ll go from there.”
Too Discreet, who has earned $103,800 from his two Saratoga victories, is out of the multiple stakes-winning and graded stakes-placed Marquetry mare To Marquet ($198,236), a Kentucky-bred Generazio homebred. Frank and Patricia Generazio Jr. also bred To Marquet’s dam, Florida-bred Pretty Momma, a multiple stakes winner.
To Marquet’s star offspring, multiple New York-bred champion Discreet Marq, is a winner of seven stakes races, led by the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks. Campaigned for most of her career by the Generazios, the mare brought $2.4 million at last year’s Fasig-Tipton November sale when purchased by Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd. and remains in training with Clement at age five until a planned retirement next year.
To Marquet has five progeny winners in all, including Marquet Cat (Cat Thief), who earned nearly $400,000 from 61 starts, and Marquet Madness (Pico Central) who earned over $200,000. The 18-year-old mare currently has a yearling colt who is also full sibling to Discreet Marq and Too Discreet, and was bred this year to Gio Ponti
