NEWS
Godolphin purchases Discreet Cat; will ship to Dubai
Posted: Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Godolphin Racing Inc. has purchased Discreet Cat, one of the most impressive two-year-old winners of the Saratoga Race Course meet during the summer, and will send him to Dubai with designs on a three-year-old campaign.Discreet Cat won his only career start on August 27 at Saratoga, winning by 3½ lengths over eight rivals in a six-furlong maiden special weight race while finishing in 1:09.76. Second-place finisher Superfly won the Whirling Ash Stakes at Delaware Park on September 17 in his subsequent start.
A son of Forestry who was owned by Joyce Robsham, Discreet Cat is now stabled with Rick Mettee, Godolphin's trainer at Belmont Park. A purchase price was not disclosed.
"He's a real neat horse," Mettee said. "He's sound and healthy and seemed to come out of that race well. He looks like a real clean horse who could go on at three. We expect him to at least run middle distances."
Discreet Cat is nominated to the $75,000 Cowdin Stakes at Belmont on October 2, but Mettee said it is unlikely the colt will start again this year in the United States.
"He was limited to walking for about ten days while the sale was pending, so I think the Cowdin would be a rush," Mettee said. "They're really looking at him as a three-year-old prospect. I doubt he'll run here. He'll need to go into quarantine later this month for the trip to Dubai."
Stanley Hough, former trainer of Discreet Cat, said he thinks the colt has a bright future.
"Obviously, it's disappointing to lose a nice horse, but I was well-paid, so it's part of the game," Hough said. "I think he's a top horse."
Robsham's late husband, Einar Paul Robsham, bred the colt in Kentucky. Discreet Cat is out of Pretty Discreet, a Private Account mare who won the 1995 Alabama Stakes (G1). He is a half brother to Grade 1-placed stakes winner Pretty Wild, a Wild Again colt that finished second in the 2002 Hopeful Stakes (G1) and the Futurity Stakes (G1).—Pete Denk
