Blue-Collar Discreet Lover Upsets the JCGC

[Wandering Eyes]

Dismissed at odds of 45-1, the Uriah St. Lewis-owned and -trained Discreet Lover (Repent–Discreet Chat, by Discreet Cat) took advantage of a suicidal pace up front, found his best stride on the turn and sustained a long rally to just tag Godolphin’s G1 Dubai World Cup hero Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) to cause a massive upset in Saturday’s GI Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park. The race serves as a ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifier for the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic in five weeks’ time. Discreet Lover was allowed to find his stride and settled in about sixth position early on as heavily favored Diversify (Bellamy Road) streaked through a half-mile in :45.64 and three-quarters in 1:09.13, tracked all the while by G2 UAE Derby winner and GI Travers S. runner-up Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy). Thunder Snow had first crack on the front-runners and surged past that duo in upper stretch, on his way to an apparent victory. But Manny Franco never stopped working on Discreet Lover and he gained ground steadily through the final eighth of a mile, then stuck his head across the wire first. Mendelssohn ran a remarkable race to hold for third, while Diversify was a spent force and weakened out to finish sixth. Lifetime Record: 44-7-7-7. O/T-Uriah St Lewis; B-Woodford Thoroughbreds (FL)

View the full article