02/08/2013 4:13PM

Gulfstream Park: Discreet Dancer eyes graded stakes

By Mike Welsch
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Barbara D. Livingston
Discreet Dancer, here training at Palm Meadows last month, won his comeback on Wednesday with a 98 Beyer Speed Figure.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Discreet Dancer, who had been idle since finishing third behind Union Rags as the odds-on favorite in the 2012 Fountain of Youth, made a triumphant return on Wednesday when he rallied to a hard-fought head decision over Candyman E in a second-level optional claiming dash. He covered the six furlongs in 1:09.34 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 98.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said that if Discreet Dancer comes out of the race well he could come back in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap at a mile on March 9.

The win was the third in four career starts for Discreet Dancer, a homebred son of Discreet Cat who posted a pair of easy victories to launch his career here last winter.

“We’re trying to get back into his normal condition eligibility, and unfortunately it was a pretty nasty spot for that kind of race and I was very proud of the race he ran,” said Pletcher. “To go 1:09 and 1 off a year layoff and run as well as he did was certainly a big effort for him. He was giving up a lot of seasoning to some horses that had a lot more experience than he does – he didn’t have a great trip either from the post he had – but overall I was very, very pleased with his race.”