Discreetly Mine's role changes

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Step by step, trainer Todd Pletcher stretched out Discreetly Mine from six furlongs in January to the Kentucky Derby at 1 1/4 miles on the first Saturday in May.

During the four-race progression, Discreetly Mine captured the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds at 1 1/16 miles. After Discreetly Mine ran 13th in the Derby, Pletcher reversed course and returned the colt to his sprinting roots.

For the first time since finishing fourth in Gulfstream Park's Spectacular Bid in early January, Discreetly Mine is back at six furlongs Sunday for the Grade 3, $200,000 Jersey Shore Stakes for 3-year-olds at Monmouth Park. In his only start since the Kentucky Derby, Discreetly Mine ran second to D' Funnybone in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens at seven furlongs.

John Velazquez will be aboard in the Jersey Shore.

A wealth of stakes experience, including a second last year in the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont, gives Discreetly Mine a substantial class edge on his five rivals. One of the most interesting challengers is the filly Christine Daae.

Trainer Patrick Biancone had weighed running Christine Daae in the Grade 1 Prioress for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park on Sunday.

"There were two reasons," Biancone said of running in the Jersey Shore instead of the Prioress. "The first, we get to play at home. Second, I don't think she's ready to run a Grade 1 yet. She needs more experience and this fits."

Christine Daae, 2 for 5, missed by a nose in the six-furlong Red Cross Stakes against older fillies and mares here on June 18. Biancone has a Grade 1 targeted for Christine Daae: the seven-furlong Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on Aug. 7 at Saratoga.

"We'll try to bring her to the Test the best we can," Biancone said. "We know six furlongs is a little too short for her; seven will be perfect distance. It's difficult to gamble everything on one race, but the only way to win those kind of races is to really prepare for it."

Partyallnightlong romped in both his starts at the meet against New Jersey-breds. A homebred for Richie Malouf and trainer Eddie Broome, Partyallnightlong will face open company for the first time.

"He hasn't been asked to run yet," Broome said. "He's got to step up. We're going to find out what we got."

Cool Bullet owns a stakes win over the track, having captured the Rumson Stakes on June 6.

Out of Respect and Safe Trip, first-level allowance winners most recently, complete the field.