Palace Malice Settling In With Pletcher's Florida String

Multiple Grade 1-winner Palace Malice, an early candidate for Horse of the Year in 2014 before being sidelined with a bruised canon bone, returned to Todd Pletcher’s string Friday and appeared strong and feisty galloping at Palm Beach Downs Sunday morning.

The 5-year-old son of Curlin won the 2013 Belmont Stakes (G1) and Jim Dandy (G2) before returning in 2014 to win four consecutive graded stakes, including his 4-year-old debut at Gulfstream in the Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2), the New Orleans Handicap (G2), the Westchester (G3), and the Metropolitan Handicap (G1). He was put on the shelf and initially retired after finishing an uncharacteristic sixth in the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga on August 2, but his connections decided to bring the accomplished runner back for a 2015 campaign when he was given a clean bill of health.

Owned by Dogwood Stable and Three Chimneys Farm, where Palace Malice will stand at stud at the conclusion of his career, the Kentucky-bred is scheduled to make his return on May 2 at Belmont Park, where he will attempt to defend his title in the Westchester. A tentative five-race plan has been mapped out for him; after the Westchester, the aim is to run the horse in four Grade 1 events: the Metropolitan Handicap, the Whitney, the Jockey Club Gold Cup, and the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

While long-term goals have been set, for now Pletcher is taking things one day at a time with his trainee.

“It’s really exciting to have him back,” Pletcher said.“He looks fantastic. We don’t really have any specific plans other than the Westchester at Belmont. That’s the first target start. We’ll let him settle in for a week and then start breezing him and go from there.”

Source: Gulfstream Park Press Release