Patricia Generazio’s 3-year-old homebred Discreet Marq delivered an impressive performance in classy company on Sunday, leading the field of Gulfstream Park’s featured $100,000 Sweetest Chant Stakes through swift fractions for a mile over firm turf before being collared in the final three strides by well-regarded European import and Chad Brown-trainee Premier Steps.
Out of the gate alertly under Joseph Rocco, Jr., Discreet Marq (9-2 fourth choice) emerged with the lead by the time the six fillies entered the first turn. Pressed by Dania Beach winner Mystic Love, the grey filly continued to lead through the far turn with Mystic Love not far behind, as 3-2 favorite Premier Steps, looking for her first North American victory, lurked three lengths back in third.
After a half-mile in 46.40 and six furlongs in 1:10.41, Discreet Marq kicked away from Mystic Love at the top of the stretch to open up a two-length lead, but Premier Steps, who had narrowed the gap through the turn, found another gear at mid-stretch. Premier Steps proved game and just got up in the final three strides to get the victory by a neck. Discreet Marq finished second, a neck ahead of Caroline Thomas (5-2 second choice), while fellow pace-setter Mystic Love (5-2) faded to fifth. The final time for the mile was a sharp 1:34.20.
A daughter of Discreet Cat, Discreet Marq broke her maiden for trainer James Ryerson by 4 1/2 lengths second time out, completing 5 1/2 furlongs on firm turf at Saratoga in 1:02.91 for a Beyer Speed Figure of 80.
Moving straight into stakes competition, Discreet Marq finished third in the open, 7-furlong Voodoo Dancer Stakes at Belmont in early October and closed into fourth in Laurel’s Selima Stakes, before securing her first stakes victory wire-to-wire in the 1-mile open Lie Low Stakes at Aqueduct on November 22. After moving south for the winter to the barn of Jane Cibelli, Discreet Marq finished third in another strong field in the 1 1/16-mile Ginger Brew in her Gulfstream debut on New Year’s Day.
With a record of 2-1-2 from seven starts, Discreet Marq has now earned $125,900.
Foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia, Discreet Marq is a daughter of Discreet Cat out of To Marquet (Marquetry), a Grade 3-placed multiple stakes winner ($198,236).
Discreet Marq is her dam’s first stakes winner, but two siblings are stakes performers on turf. Marquet Cat, an 8-year-old gelded son of Cat Thief, has earned $376,309 from 54 starts to date. Marquet Madness, a 6-year-old mare by Pico Central (BRZ), has earned $226,994.
To Marquet’s most recent reported foal is a yearling colt by Bluegrass Cat.
