Discreet Marq bests Tapicat in Pebbles

Trainer Christophe Clement opted to keep Discreet Marq at Belmont rather than

shipping to Keeneland for last Saturday's Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup,

preferring to use Monday's $200,000

Pebbles

as a stepping stone to the December 1 Matriarch at Hollywood. The master plan

has certainly worked so far. Dispatched as the 3-2 favorite in the Columbus Day

feature, Patricia Generazio's homebred wore down Tapicat to earn her fifth

career stakes victory, and set the stage for her major end-of-the-season

objective.

Mariel n Kathy, the 27-1 longest shot on the board, scampered out to the

early lead through splits of :23 4/5 and :47 on the firm turf. Tapicat, the 5-2

second choice, was perched in second, while Discreet Marq was a touch eager in

her outside stalking spot. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. persuaded the favorite to

switch off, and she soon relaxed until given the cue.

When Tapicat took over from the weakening Mariel n Kathy at the six-furlong

mark in 1:10 2/5, Discreet Marq was already right on her flank, and the two

market leaders swung for home ready to battle. Discreet Marq got the upper hand,

but Tapicat proved resilient on the inside, and forced her rival to find a

little extra.

But Discreet Marq had more than enough up her sleeve. Finally subduing

Tapicat in deep stretch, the gray pulled three-quarters of a length clear and

completed the grassy mile in 1:34. The winner paid $5 and advanced her own line

to 12-6-2-2, $705,900.

Teen Pauline crossed the wire another 2 3/4 lengths adrift in third. Frege

got up for fourth, and Dauphine Russe, With Sugar on Top and Mariel n Kathy

rounded out the order of finish. Summer of Fun was withdrawn, as were the

main-track-only entrants Flash Forward, Toasting and Galloping Giraffe.

A New York-bred sophomore by Discreet Cat, Discreet Marq was well beaten in

her debut in the Saratoga slop for her original trainer Jim Ryerson. Transferred

to turf next out at the Spa, she slammed state-breds in wire-to-wire fashion,

and has remained on the grass ever since. Discreet Marq performed creditably in

her first two stakes tries, checking in third in the Voodoo Dancer at Belmont

and fourth in the Selima at Laurel.

Her stakes breakthrough came when she reverted to front-running tactics in

last November's Lie Low at Aqueduct. Switched to Jane Cibelli thereafter,

Discreet Marq was again the pacesetter in her two appearances at Gulfstream

Park. She tired to third behind Tuttipaesi and Wave Theory in the January 1

Ginger Brew, and nearly lifted the January 27 Sweetest Chant, only to be nailed

by Premier Steps by a neck.

Discreet Marq then joined Clement and promptly won her first three for the

barn. She stole Grade 2 laurels with a clever front-running ride in the May 27

Sands Point, crushed New York-breds by 6 1/4 lengths in the July 4 Eventail, and

rallied from just off the pace to garner the August 17 Del Mar Oaks. Discreet

Marq suffered her only reverse for Clement when runner-up to Alterite in the

September 14 Garden City back at Belmont last out.