Discreet Cat to miss Travers

Though he has recently resumed training following an illness, Discreet Cat, the undefeated 3-year-old owned by Godolphin Racing, won't make the Travers Stakes on Aug. 26, his connections said Thursday.

Rick Mettee, who oversees Godolphin's New York string, said Discreet Cat has been back to the track for less than a week, but that the cough that forced him to miss the Dwyer on July 4 "messed up" his summer schedule.

Mettee said he would look to get Discreet Cat back to the races "sometime at the end of August," but basically ruled out the Travers, run at 1 1/4 miles, run on Aug. 26.

"You'd almost have to train up to it. I'd doubt we'd do that," Mettee said. "He had a pretty good cough and a temperature for a few days. We had to ride it out."

Discreet Cat won his debut at Saratoga last summer for trainer Stanley Hough and was purchased by Godolphin Racing shortly thereafter. He ran twice during the winter in Dubai, winning a one-mile allowance on March 9 by four lengths and the United Arab Emirates Derby at 1 1/8 miles by six lengths on March 25. Owner Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum didn't believe the horse was seasoned enough to run in the Kentucky Derby and instead pointed to a summer campaign that he had hoped would have included the Travers.

Discreet Cat had worked three times at Belmont before getting sick.