Breeder’s Cup Update: Discreet Cat-Bernardini meeting is unlikely to happen

Posted on Tuesday, September 26th, 2006

Discreet Cat owner Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing, laid out a fall campaign that didn’t include the Breeders’ Cup Classic, but does include Sunday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Jerome Handicap at Belmont Park.

Despite being assigned 124 pounds for the Jerome, the undefeated 3-year-old Discreet Cat will likely roll to a victory, making him 5 for 5 in his career and raising the volume for Discreet Cat to face Preakness and Travers winner Bernardini and the best older horses in training in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs.

No Bernardini vs Discreet Cat on 2006 Breeder's Cup Since Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley Stable owns Bernardini, a Discreet Cat-Bernardini meeting is unlikely to happen. Provided Bernardini makes it to the Classic, Discreet Cat will likely target the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 25.

Rick Mettee, who runs Godolphin’s New York operation, said this was not the original plan, but it is the right plan. Discreet Cat, who won the UAE Derby by seven lengths in March - beating subsequent three-time U.S. Grade 1 winner Invasor - was being targeted for some of this country’s biggest 3-year-old races in the summer before getting sick in June.

On Aug. 25, five months after the UAE Derby, Discreet Cat won a third-level allowance race by 11 lengths at Saratoga. He ran seven furlongs in 1:21.53 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 112.

On Monday, Discreet Cat completed preparations for Saturday’s Jerome by working five furlongs in 59.67 seconds over Belmont Park’s main track. It was the fastest of 25 moves at the distance. Under regular rider Garrett Gomez, Discreet Cat went his first three furlongs in 36 seconds, and galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.40.

Discreet Cat will likely have three or four rivals in the Jerome. Noonmark, runner-up in the Swale, is confirmed. Trainer Pat Reynolds said he may run Valid Notebook, who won a second-level allowance race going a mile here on Sept. 9. Brilliant Son is also possible, according to trainer Chuck Simon. Nick Zito or Richard Dutrow Jr. could each provide a runner as well.

On November 4, Bernardini is poised to headline a pack of the world’s greatest thoroughbreds who will race for the huge $5-million purse in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs ! Bet on horseracing’s richest day at the track with the Bodog Racebook, which offers Breeders’ Cup odds right now!

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"Breeder’s Cup Update: Discreet Cat-Bernardini meeting is unlikely to happen" was posted on Tuesday, September 26th, 2006 at 4:16 pm and is filed under Breeders' Cup, Churchill Downs, Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Owners & Breeders, Stakes Races, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.