Palace Malice Pedigree Profile

Palace Malice revenged his sire Curlin's heartbreaking Belmont Stakes loss with a decisive, gritty victory over the Preakness and Kentucky Derby heroes. The unheralded Palace Malice had a simple maiden victory entering the test of champions, although he did fight to a neck defeat in the Blue Grass Stakes and place in three other contests. 

 

In the 145^th edition of the Belmont Stakes, Palace Malice's final time of 2:30.70 for 1 ½ miles is comparable to the last three Belmont Stakes results of Union Rags (2:30.42) Ruler on Ice (2:30.88 – sloppy) and Drosselmeyer (2:31.57).

PALACE MALICE (Curlin – Palace Rumor, by Royal Anthem) was sold for $25K at the 2011 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. A year later at the Keeneland April 2012 two year olds in training auction, Palace Malice caught the eye of veteran bloodstock agent Cot Campbell and as an agent for Dogwood Stables, he shelled out $200K for the Chestnut colt.

Although he's an early May foal, Palace Malice flashed talent early. He received a ton of experience in his debut in early July, sitting on the rail behind the dueling pace setters, then slipping between horses to fight it out to the wire. He was beaten only a half length, but distanced the third place horse by over six lengths. In his second start, the youngster beat a nice group of maidens by 3 ½ lengths. Part of the field included Hightail, who would go on to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint.

Palace Malice got his three year old season rolling with a runner-up finish in a Gulfstream Park allowance sprint. In his two-turn debut in the Risen Star, Palace Malice gave a good account of himself. Flying wide the whole way, the Todd Pletcher trainee unleashed his run from eighth place and was up for third money in a blanket finish, beating future Preakness winner Oxbow by a slender nose. After a jockey change, Palace Malice had a tough trip in the Louisiana Derby and finished seventh. He redeemed himself in his first try over the Polytrack. Looking like a winner in the Blue Grass Stakes, Palace Malice was headed at the wire by Java's War.

Going into the Derby, Pletcher decided to tinker with the colt's equipment. Probably not a good idea before the biggest race of the three year old season. After adding blinkers to the colt's arsenal, Pletcher watched as Palace Malice set a torrid pace in the Derby and faded to a gasping 12^th place. So far, Palace Malice has a 8-2-3-1 ($871,135) race record.

Palace Malice is a member of Horse of the Year Curlin's first crop. The son of Smart Strike had the pedigree and ability to win multiple times at 1 1/4 miles and he was on the losing end of a photo finish in an epic battle against Rags to Riches in the 1 1/2 mile Belmont Stakes after he competed in the first two legs of the Triple Crown. The huge Chestnut went on to earn two-time horse of the year honors after earning honors in the aforementioned Preakness, Breeders' Cup Classic, Jockey Club Gold Cup (twice), and Dubai World Cup. He even competed on turf, placing second in the Man O'War Stakes (G-1).

To date, Curlin is represented by thee stakes winners. As a stallion he produced a classic winner in his first crop. His offspring have won up to 1 ¼ miles over turf, 1 ½ miles on dirt and a couple have won/placed over Cushion and Polytrack. Like their sire, Curlin's babies will improve with maturity and distance. As a son of the popular sire Smart Strike out of a mare by a leading broodmare sire, Curlin is poised to become his sire's best son at stud. Other sons of Smart Strike include English Channel, Freshman sire Papa Clem, and Preakness hero Lookin' At Lucky, whose babies will head to the track next year.

CURLIN (Smart Strike - Sherriff's Deputy, by Deputy Minister)

Race record: 16-11-2-2 ($10,501,800)

2007 – Horse of the Year & Champion Three Year Old

2008 - Horse of the Year & Champion Older Horse

Career highlights:

1^st – Breeders' Cup Classic (G-1) 1 ¼ miles

1^st – Dubai World Cup (UAE – 1) 1 ¼ miles

1^st – Jockey Club Gold Cup* (G-1) 1 ¼ miles

1^st – Preakness Stakes (G-1) 1 3/16 miles

1^st - Stephen Foster Handicap (G-1) 1 1/8 miles

1^st – Woodward Stakes (G-1) 1 1/8 miles

1^st – Haskell Invitational (G-1) 1 1/8 miles

1^st – Arkansas Derby (G-2) 1 1/8 miles

2^nd – Belmont Stakes (G-1) 1 ½ miles

3^rd – Kentucky Derby (G-1) 1 ¼ miles

*won 2007 – 2008

Palace Malice has turf routing attributes in his female family and springs from the same line as the most famous Belmont Stakes winner in history.

After sprinting twice over the dirt, Palace Malice's dam Palace Rumor found a home on the lawn, not surprising, as a daughter of Royal Anthem out of a mare by Red Ransom. She was a solid turf allowance class runner who won a listed stakes at 1 1/16 miles. Overall Palace Rumor collected a 16-5-1-1 ($111,833) race record. Palace Malice is his dam's second foal to race and the first to earn blacktype. He has a two year old half sister by City Zip and a yearling half sibling by Mineshaft.

Palace Rumor is a half sister to two multiple stakes winning dirt sprinters, Maya's Storm (by Stormy Atlantic) and Jumpifyoudare (by Jump Start) . Palace Malice's second dam Whisperifyoudare didn't earn any blacktype and scored two wins from ten starts. Her half sister Sweet Trip is the dam of multiple stakes winning veteran Rail Trip, winner of the Hollywood Gold Cup (G-1) and earner of over $1.5 million dollars.

Palace Malice is a member of Lowes' Female Family 2-s. The most notable and only member of the family to win the Belmont Stakes is Secretariat. The two distaff lines diverged in way back in the late 1800's from two half sisters borne of Tasmania.

Palace Malice's damsire Royal Anthem was an international turf router, racing against the best of his generation. He earned victories in the Grade/Group 1 Judmonte International, Canadian International and Gulfstream Park Breeders' Handicap. He placed behind Daylami in the Breeders' Cup Turf and Swain in the King George & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes. Royal Anthem is a young broodmare sire and Palace Malice is only his second stakes winner.

ROYAL ANTHEM(Theatrical (IRE) - In Neon, by Ack Ack)

Race record: 12-6-3-1 ($1,876,876)

2^nd - King Edward VII S. (Eng-2) 1 ½ miles (T)

 

Palace Malice has carved out a career on dirt, but he has the pedigree to be competitive over turf and synthetics, too. Remember, sire Curlin was second in a Grade 1 turf event. Additionally, Palace Malice carries the very classy turf attributes of Theatrical and Roberto on his distaff side. His sire line of Smart Strike and Deputy Minister are also noted for producing champion class turf runners. Although Palace Malice may continue his immediate career on dirt, it would be intriguing to see him face top competition over the lawn and synthetics if he stays in training as a four year old. Could the Breeders' Cup Turf or UAE World Cup be in his future?