Belmont Park: Discreet Marq shows stamina in winning Eventail Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – After getting away with an easy lead in winning the Grade 2 Sands Point on Memorial Day, Discreet Marq survived a tough pace battle up front en route to an impressive victory in Thursday’s $100,000 Eventail Stakes for New York-bred fillies at Belmont Park.

Under Jose Lezcano, Discreet Marq battled Roses for Romney through a quarter-mile of 22.88 seconds, a half-mile in 45.32, and six furlongs in 1:09.15, yet still had enough left to draw clear and win by 6 1/4 lengths. She ran 1 1/16 miles over firm turf in 1:41.02 and returned $4.70 as the 6-5 favorite.

Adriatic Dream rallied to get second by 1 1/2 lengths over Roses for Romney. Unbelievable Dream and Kelli Got Frosty completed the order of finish in the scratch-reduced field of five.

The win was the fourth from nine starts for Discreet Marq, a 3-year-old daughter of Discreet Cat owned and bred by Patricia Generazio and trained by Christophe Clement.

“She’s got to have a lot of talent to win like that,” Clement said. “The race was a bit tougher than expected, but she ran well.”

Clement was hoping for an easier race so he could wheel back Discreet Marq in the Grade 2, $200,000 Lake George Stakes at Saratoga on July 24. That race is still a possibility, as is the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 17 or the Grade 2 Lake Placid at Saratoga on Aug. 18.

Thursday’s win came one day after Clement won the $100,000 Princess Dixie Stakes for New York-bred female sprinters on the dirt. Miss Valentine, a 5-year-old daughter of Afleet Alex, won for the ninth time in 21 starts for owner and breeder Waterville Lake Stables.