Discreet Cat stepped up to the plate and delivered the goods in yesterday’s Cigar Mile. In doing so, the unbeaten colt completed the eight furlong race in an outstanding 1:32.46, just .06 off Easy Goer’s track record set in the 1989 Gotham. On his way back to the winners’ circle, Discreet Cat received a warm, if rare, ovation from Aqueduct’s faithful. Current plans call for Discreet Cat to race in the U.S. next year after he runs in the Dubai World Cup in March.

And as far as early signs go, Discreet Cat exited the Cigar Mile – his sixth win in as many starts – no worse for the wear. Sunday, Discreet Cat had an easy walk through the Godolphin barn at Belmont Park.

“He was a little tired, which is to be expected,” said Godolphin Racing’s New York trainer, Rick Mettee. “He’ll get a couple of days off and we’re going to go very easy on him. I knew this was going to be a race where he would be pushed. For the first time, he had to come of the bridle and find more. It was great to watch.”

Discreet Cat collared Silver Train just outside the half mile pole and ran head and head with Silver Train through blazing fractions. The half mile time was :44.83 and the six-furlong time was 1:07.75, but just outside the sixteenth pole Discreet Cat shrugged off Silver Train en route to his first Grade 1 score.

“I knew he had Silver Train measured the way (Edgar Prado) was riding Silver Train,” Mettee said. “Then I saw the 1:07 and Badge of Silver creeping up and I thought ‘uh oh.’”

Although he ran well, Badge of Silver never threatened Discreet Cat, who kicked clear by 3 ¼ lengths while being shown the whip from jockey Garrett Gomez.

Discreet Cat and the 10-horse Godolphin operation at Belmont are scheduled to ship to Payson Park in Florida this Tuesday. Discreet Cat and the undefeated juvenile Day Pass are expected to fly to Dubai in late December. Other Godolphin horses like Ashkal Way and Afrashad are going to winter in Payson before they point to 2007 New York campaigns. Mettee will control the Godolphin operation from Florida.

The Cigar Mile capped another extraordinary week of racing for Sheikh Maktoum’s Thoroughbred dynasty. On Thanksgiving, Godolphin won the featured Fall Highweight with Afrashad. On Friday, Godolphin’s Ashkal Way became a Grade 1 winner in Hollywood Park’s Citation. Saturday, the best came last when Discreet Cat won the Cigar.

“I’m finally starting to catch my breath,” said Mettee, who was in California for the Citation and at Aqueduct for the Cigar. “It really was a great week for us.”

Godolphin departs New York Tuesday with a 2006 NYRA record of 13-4-3 from 30 starts. Their horses banked $949,624.

“We never had more than 10 horses, although we had good horses to pull from,” Mettee said. “We’re pretty much ending the year with the same horses we began with. I think most of our horses deserve a break. Even though Discreet Cat only ran three times in New York, he’s been in training since last winter in Dubai. Off an effort in the Cigar, it’s a good time to give him a break.”

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey won his first Demoiselle yesterday with the Phipps-owned Boca Grande. A filly by A.P. Indy, Boca Grande leaves for Florida Tuesday with a record of two wins from just three starts and a bright future.

“I had worked her last Sunday and I thought she worked really well,” McGaughey said. “I thought the favorite (Successful Outlook) might be suspect going that far around two turns so I decided to take a shot and it worked out.”

Naturally, Boca Grande will be pointed to the big three-year-old filly races at Gulfstream Park this winter.

“That’s what I hope for,” McGaughey said. “We’ll get her started down there and go from there.”

McGaughey added that Sightseeing, who finished fifth in yesterday’s Remsen after an eventful trip, lost a shoe during the running of the race.

“He grabbed his quarter and pulled a shoe off when he bobbled coming out of the gate,” he said. “Edgar (Prado) steadied him and not that we were going to beat the winner, but it took him out of contention. We’ll repair him and get him started down there.”

Aqueduct’s winterized inner dirt track opens for a four-month span this Wednesday. First race post remains 12:30 p.m. Eastern.