Discreet Cat is off to a tremendous start. His much anticipated first crop, now two, is comprised of a multitude of athletically endowed and cooperative individuals - absolutely splendid representatives of their brilliantly fast sire. Darley’s freshman stallion has received “two-thumbs up” from numerous trainers who are eager to debut their two-year-olds at training sales and at the races.
Shug McGaughey said during Easy Goer’s campaign, “You can’t be afraid to lose; and you can’t be afraid to win.” In that light, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed was so confident in the talents of young Discreet Cat that he matched his under aged colt against the best prepped and accomplished sophomores from around the world in the G2 UAE Derby. Like a seasoned professional, the son of Forestry cruised through the early fractions of the 1800-meter test. Once uncoiled, he drew off in a glistening six-length display under lights over Chilean champion Simpatico and future Dubai World Cup superstars Well Armed and Invasor, who suffered his lone defeat.
Upon returning to stakes competition in the U.S. that year, Discreet Cat rolled to a front-running 10 1/4 romp in the G2 Jerome H. Strolling through a 1:36.46 mile, he warranted a 115 Beyer Speed Figure. Taking his first crack at older horses in the G1 Cigar, he took on a high-weight impost of 124 pounds against a solid group including the BC Sprint and Met Mile winner. Discreet Cat flaunted a ‘Zamperini’ mile. With exhilarating ease, “The Cat” tripped the three-quarter mark in 1:07 3/5 (one tick off Kelly Kip’s record) and streaked to victory by 3 1/4 lengths. His run not only bettered the stakes record shared by Quiet American and Dispersal, but equaled Easy Goer’s track record of 1:32 2/5 set in the Gotham in 1989.
Invincible at two and three, Discreet Cat won his first six starts by a total of 38 lengths. In all, he tallied $1,694,180 and shared the three-year-old world championship in 2006 with his classic winning stable mate Bernardini.
Bloodstock agent Nick deMeric has a treble of Discreet Cats in preparation for the spring training forums. Set to kick off The Florida Sale (Fasig-Tipton’s March 3 premier) is a fantastic representative of his sire who is catalogued as hip 3. Striking in balance, he’s an individual with a powerful hip and deep shoulder matched with a grand head, a desirable wide jaw and complementary throatlatch, plus beautifully expressive and intelligent eyes. He was the next-to best priced Discreet Cat yearling through the ring last year, fetching $200,000 at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga. Out of Newmar (Salt Lake), the forwardly training colt is a half-sibling to multiple Stakes winner Yonegwa and G3 Queens County H. runner-up Brilliant Son.
DeMeric is looking forward to taking him to Palm Meadows near Boynton Beach, FL in the next couple of weeks and quite eloquently cut to the chase when asked of the colt’s progress. “He screams of athleticism. He’s about as streamlined as a Corvette. He’s got everything going for him. He’s a very balanced, attractable, athletic colt. He’s the kind of horse that if you don’t like him physically, you flat don’t like Thoroughbreds. You know, he is just the epitome of a Thoroughbred athlete in my opinion.”
Sandy Scott, assistant to deMeric has been impressed with the personalities of all of the Discreet Cats, not only around the barn, but at the track and in their paddocks. Especially given that they are colts, she commented how very kind that they accept the day to day regiments expected of them as sale horses.
“Newmar’s colt is the only one [of the three] that we have asked anything of at this point.” deMeric added. He has been breezing easy eighths to prepare for his preview. “The other two are on a slightly different schedule. They are heading to later sales. They are doing everything that they are supposed to at this point. I’m very happy with what I have seen on the racetrack, but we haven’t turned the screws very tight on them at this point. All signs are positive.”
DeMeric paid $50,000 for a nicely angled bay colt out of English-bred Empress of India (Dancing Brave), a mare that has turned out seven winners from as many starters including Oceanside S. winner Kilderry, a son of E Dubai. Not surprising, her dam Priceless Fame was also a good producer. She is a sister of Derby champion Bold Forbes, the dam of Grade One winners Saratoga Six and Dunbeath, as well as granddam to top-level athletes Lakeway, Ancient World and Jilbab.
Like so many of Discreet Cat’s progeny, the colt out of Royal Sweep (End Sweep) bears his sire’s regal color and head. DeMeric picked him up for $80,000 from the Gainesway consignment at Keeneland. He shares a second dam, Royal Pennant with second crop leader Rockport Harbor, sire of nine 2011winners including six new maiden breakers and G3 Santa Ysabel winner May Day Rose.
Paul Reyes, proprietor of King’s Equine is prepping a pair of muscular Discreet Cat colts at Cloverleaf Farm ahead of the April sales. Reyes has been struck by how much they like to train. He said, “They are both positive and strong individuals. They look very good on the track.”
Hailing from a well-regarded Florida family tailing to G1 starlet Cherokee Frolic, his colt out of Flashy Frolic (Premiership), dam of Stakes Winners Frolicing and Frolic’s Dream and course record-setter Cyberflash, has the appearance of an early maturing precocious type could start by summertime. Flashy Frolic’s half-sister is Dogwood Stable raced Smok'n Frolic who in her 33-race career was twice ascribed Florida champion comprised over $1.5 million at a spectrum of distances on dirt and turf. The dam of Reyes’ other colt, Wilzada (Meadowlake) won nine of 15 Starts including the Half Moon S. by 7 1/4 lengths in the slop and a five-length score in the Listed Interborough H. while landing a career-best 105 Beyer.
Agent Eddie Woods has a nice pair that he is quite pleased with. He described them as big, leggy fillies that resemble one another and remarked on their “really sweet” dispositions. One is the first foal of Elusive Quality's Evasive, a $156,575 earner, and owned by trainer Kiaran McLaughlin with whom she is expected to race. She comes from a family of achievers including G1 winner Vivid Angel and prominent broodmare sires Strawberry Road, Star de Naskra and Round Table.
Helen Alexander, the granddaughter of Robert Kleberg, founder of the equine division of King Ranch in Texas, has achieved triumphant success with numerous fillies over the years including champion Althea. In 1998, Pat Day booted home her Pantufla to take the G3 Florida Oaks. At stud, the daughter of Rubiano has produced four winners to date. Woods took to her May-foaled Discreet Cat filly at Keeneland and signed the $50,000 tag. On the track, she is noted as a ‘tremendous lass’ that moves well over the dirt with a very efficient stride. Woods has a return to Keeneland in mind for this one.
Eisaman Equine is laying a solid foundation to a lovely blood-bay out of Clever Empress ( Crafty Prospector) aiming to race in his owner’s colors. Now named Cahoots, the colt is an enthusiast galloper; travelling well through his mile and a half routine in company. He is a half-brother to UAE-G3 winner Terrific Challenge, an 11-time prizewinner through six seasons. Terrific Challenge owns a four-hitter of records on turf. His 5 ½ furlong best at Monmouth was only just eclipsed by Elusive Quality’s Starfish Bay in 2010. Bred by Lantern Hill Farm LLC in Kentucky, the colt reigns from the immediate family of seven-year-old grinder Elusive Quality’s Native Ruler who posed for win number 15 and his ninth stakes victory when repeating in the King Cotton S. in January. Native Ruler holds $564,196 lifetime.
Another racy looking Discreet Cat charge for Dr. Eisaman is a filly bred by William J. Betz, Dr. Chuck Kidder, & Wayne Masterman in Kentucky. A complete outcross through five generations the filly is the daughter of Stronach Stables’ Bag Lady Jane who scored her biggest win in the richest race for Canadian-foaled two-year-old fillies, the Princess Elizabeth. Bag Lady Jane was produced by champion two-year-old Devils’s Bag and Canada's champion two and three-year-old filly Deputy Jane West. The female family descends to The Squaw II, whose daughters are the matriarchal links to Ack Ack, Chieftain, Tom Rolfe and Sham. Bag Lady Jane’s juvenile filly named Mamma Kimbo is a three-parts sister to G2 placed Deputy Storm, who like Discreet Cat is a son of Storm Cat’s son Forestry. Deputy Storm won at 2, 3 and 4 including the King Cotton S. at Oaklawn Park.
Judging by how well his progeny are training, we feel confident that as a stallion, Discreet Cat is a bullish investment. He stands the 2011 season at $17,500, stands and nurses.
