Discreet Marq cruises to victory in Beaugay

ELMONT, N.Y. – Discreet Marq was the most accomplished of the seven fillies and mares who ran in Saturday’s $150,000 Beaugay Stakes at Belmont Park. On top of her class edge, Discreet Marq was given a pace advantage as well, striking the front early under John Velazquez and never feeling any pressure en route to a three-quarter-length victory in the Grade 3 Beaugay at Belmont Park.

Photo Call made a late run to close the final margin under Rajiv Maragh, but Discreet Marq was a winner every step of the 1 1/16-mile journey.

Ridden by John Velazquez for the first time, Discreet Marq was clocked in fractions of 26.13 seconds for the quarter and 50.85 for the half-mile. She opened up on the field entering the far turn and ran six furlongs in 1:13.78 before covering the mile in 1:42.15 over firm turf. She returned $5.60 as the 9-5 favorite.

“I had to hold her to the half-mile pole, and after that, I let her do whatever she wanted to do,” said Velazquez, who was riding Discreet Marq for the first time. “She started to open up, and she was doing it comfortably.”

Said Clement: “When she opened up at the half-mile pole, I thought she was going to be very tough to catch.”

Photo Call, last through the first half-mile, finished second by a half-length over Recepta. J Wonder, Testa Rossi, Radiator, and Caroline Thomas completed the field.

Discreet Marq, a New York-bred daughter of Discreet Cat, won for the eighth time in 22 starts.

She was making her first start for Eva Bucher-Haefner's Moyglare Stud, who purchased her for $2.4 million out of the Fasig-Tipton November sale. This was Discreet Marq’s first start for the Moyglare, which kept her with Clement.

“I was delighted to keep her because I think she’s top class,” Clement said.

Clement won his fourth Beaugay. He won his first in 1994 with Cox Orange.

“Compared to the Beaugays in the past, this was one of the best Beaugays we’ve seen,” Clement said.

Clement may point Discreet Marq to the Grade 1 Just a Game on the undercard of the June 6 Belmont Stakes. She finished fourth to Coffee Clique, beaten just 1 1/2 lengths in that race last year.