Discreet Marq On Target for Just A Game
With no Breeders’ Cup race reserved just for filly turf milers, the Just a Game (I) is the spring championship for that category of racehorses, and there always seems to be a good field for this undercard race, with this year featuring the return of 1-2 finishers Stephanie’s Kitten and Better Lucky along with new and improving players. It’s a jumbled bunch, but there’s some real proven class sprinkled throughout, most notably the gray bullet Discreet Marq.
1 – READY SIGNAL – An improving daughter of proven turf sprint/miling sire More Than Ready, Ready Signal faces a class test after winning two this year and missing by 2 ½ lengths to Coffee Clique in the Distaff Turf Mile (II). She has a win at this distance on the turf course with Edgar Prado already, who is a notably good turf rider. A sharp workout has her ready on the sweet rail spot.
2 – STRATHNAVER - Cutting back to a mile which she’s won at once, the Oasis Dream [GB] mare missed by 1 ½ lengths last out in the Doubledogdare (III) at Keeneland, hanging in the stretch. Kind of a curious entry, as I wonder if she’s really good at this distance with so many better efforts going longer.
3 – DAME MARIE – One of the less impressive entries, she missed by a half-length last out in the Distaff Turf Mile (II) to Coffee Clique with one win in 7 tries at the distance. Class challenge.
4 – SOMALI LEMONADE – Matz and Saez make this filly an easy point of interest for me and winning back-to-back races doesn’t hurt. A winner at Belmont at this distance, Somali Lemonade could turn in a loose-on-the-lead performance should things not work out for the rest of the field.
5 – COFFEE CLIQUE – The Medaglia d’Oro filly has yet to fall off the board in 5 tries at the turf mile with 3 of those tries resulting in wins, including a G2 last out in the Distaff Turf Mile (II) at Churchill. Along with a sharp workout, this filly has nice upset potential matched with the excellent turf rider Javier Castellano.
6 – STEPHANIE’S KITTEN – Never shirk a Kitten’s Joy! Last year’s winner, Stephanie’s Kitten is lethal with 4 wins in 5 tries at the turf mile and 6 wins overall in 11 starts on the surface. However, she is far the best when the ground is soft, which it won’t be on Saturday, and she comes off a long layoff after trading hands from Wayne Catalano to Chad Brown. Oof!
7 – UNLIMITED BUDGET – Multiple failures on dirt trade this filly to the turf for Todd Pletcher and Rosie Napravnik. The Toddster doesn’t have a good dirt-to-turf tradeoff and neither does Rosie.
8 – WATERWAY RUN – Pummeled as a 3-year-old in Europe, the Arch filly has found a hint of success since moving stateside with a win in the 1 1/16-mile Beaugay (III) last out along with 2 very short losses. With Chad Brown training and top turf rider Jose Lezcano up, there’s plenty to like about this gal who has won at Belmont and 4 of 11 turf mile tries.
9 – DISCREET MARQ – Little to hate about this darling filly, least of all the fact that turf aficionado Christophe Clement is at the helm. Rarely finishing out of the top 2 wherever she goes, she is the one to beat with a 5:3-1-1 record at Belmont, although she is not unbeatable with a 56-day layoff (which has resulted in past losses).
10 – BETTER LUCKY – The Ghostzapper filly was just barely outgamed in last year’s race and has yet to fall off the board in 5 starts at this distance and 3 starts at Belmont. She returns to turf from a prep in the all-weather-bound Madison (I) last out and should be a threat.
Top 3 Picks:
1) Discreet Marq
2) Better Lucky
3) Waterway Run
Pick 4: Discreet Marq is the single if you must do it, but I would advise against singling anyone in a turf race. I would add in at least Better Lucky to any ticket, with spreads including Waterway Run and possibly Somali Lemonade or Coffee Clique.
Discreet Marq is the filly to beat with a huge amount of class and guts as well as home court advantage. Better Lucky is a great filly as well and is tough on any going. Waterway Run is improving and has some potential to upset as a filly who likes Belmont and has some great turf connections.
