Palace Malice could be back in 2015

Up until the Grade 1 Whitney, 2014 could not have been going better for Team Palace Malice. The four-year-old son of Curlin 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 the Dogwood Stable star. A disappointing 6th place finish as the heavy favorite at Saratoga, was decidedly uncharacteristic for the career winner of more than $2.5 million. When a bone bruise was discovered soon after, it was decided to retire the 2013 Belmont Stakes winner to begin his next career as a stallion in 2015. A funny thing happened on the way to the stallion barn, though.

Palace Malice fans everywhere felt a sudden burst of adrenaline when today’s press release from Dogwood hit the presses. The announcement of the sale of 50 percent of Palace Malice to Three Chimneys Farm was the just part of the news, but the really exciting part of the deal is that it opened the door for his return to racing next year. Three Chimneys’ interest in racing Palace Malice in partnership with Dogwood next year intrigued the man behind Dogwood, Cot Campbell.

“The somewhat unexpected and unique nature of the Three Chimneys offer was very enticing to us,” said Campbell.

Clearly one of the best horses in the nation this year, Palace Malice has won 7-of-17 lifetime starts in his three year career to date. Among his six graded stakes, he holds the unique distinction of winning two of America’s most prestigious races at decidedly different distances. In fact by winning the 12-furlong Belmont Stakes and the one-turn Met Mile, Palace Malice accomplished something that no other horse has been able to do in more than 30 years by completing the prestigious New York double.

Bringing back this kind of horseflesh for another year of racing, and thereby delaying the safer money of the breeding shed, is a risk, and therefore will not be entered into lightly.

“Palace Malice will be examined by a panel of vets on November 15 and if he is 100 percent racing sound to the satisfaction of Three Chimneys and Dogwood, he will be shipped to Dogwood’s barn in Aiken, South Carolina, and prepared for another campaign with Todd Pletcher, his trainer throughout his career,” Campbell said. “Upon retirement from racing, Three Chimneys will acquire full ownership of the horse.”

The appeal for Campbell is obvious. The eighty something year-old sportsman revels in the opportunity to see his horses competing against the best, and with a deal already in place with Three Chimneys, he can have the best of both worlds, both for him, and his partners in Dogwood.

Three Chimneys, on the other hand, is putting a whole new spin on rushing our best horses off to stud at the drop of a hat. They certainly sweetened the deal, when they opened the door for Palace Malice to run next year, which helped them win the opportunity to stand the top horse at their farm, but they did more than that. They did something good for the sport of racing, and I think I can speak for millions of race fans everywhere when I say, that I am grateful. Grateful for the chance to see more or this ...