Look out for Palace Malice in 2015
They say a thoroughbred racehorse is not physically mature until five-years-old. If that’s true, the racing world better look out for Palace Malice in 2015.
“The x-rays and ultrasounds taken in Kentucky on Thursday morning are as good as we hoped they would be, and Dr. Larry Bramlage and Dr. Robert Copelan pronounced him completely sound.”
And with that happy announcement coming from the lord of the manor of Dogwood Stable, Palace Malice was declared fit and ready to begin preparations for a return to racing. If the past few years have been any indication, it will be a return to racing designed to go after many of America’s most important races of 2015, with an eye on the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland as the crowning goal of what will be his fourth season on the racetrack.
Certainly one of the best horses in the nation, Palace Malice has won 7-of-17 lifetime for the Cot Campbell partnership. A six time graded stakes winner, the gorgeous son of Curlin holds the unique distinction of winning two of America’s most prestigious races, and at decidedly different distances.
In fact, by winning the 12-furlong Belmont Stakes in 2012, and the one-turn Met Mile this year, in which he defeated the two-time Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile champion, Goldencents, Palace Malice accomplished something that no other horse has been able to do in more than 30 years, by completing the unique and prestigious New York double.
Plagued by some bad racing luck earlier in his career, Palace Malice had put that behind him, and was the main man of the handicap division through his first four starts of 2014. The Todd Pletcher trainee streaked to smart scores in the Gulfstream Park Handicap, New Orleans Handicap, Westchester Stakes, and Grade 1 Met Mile in succession to begin the season. All good things must eventually come to an end, and so it was for Palace Malice.
A disappointing 6th place finish as the heavy favorite in the Grade 1 Whitney in early August, seemed anything but like the career winner of more than $2.5 million. Sure enough, a bone bruise was discovered soon after, and it was decided to retire the classic winner to begin his next career as a stallion in 2015.
A funny thing happened on the way to the stallion barn, though. Three Chimneys Farm made the sporty Mr. Campbell an offer too good to pass up. Not only was an attractive stud deal agreed upon, but the allowance to run in 2015 was a clinching addendum to the deal. All this, of course, was dependant on a clean bill of health after extensive vet exams. Palace Malice passed those tests with flying colors, and the wheels are now in motion to bring back one of America’s best horses for what could be his best season yet.
“We will ship him this morning from Three Chimneys to Aiken for 60-90 days of pre-training and then send him down to Todd Pletcher in Florida,” said Campbell. “His 2015 schedule will be formulated by Three Chimneys, Dogwood and Todd, and we will announce that at a later date.”
When Eclipse Award finalists are announced in the coming months, look for Palace Malice’s name to be among the Older Male candidates. Whether or not he wins that award may seem anticlimactic to the day he enters the starting gate. What is that the Breeders’ Cup likes to say … The best is yet come? Well, I have a strong feeling that those words fit one Palace Malice to a “T”. With a healthy and more mature Palace Malice back to race in 2015, surely the best is yet to come.