Palace Malice Targets Five Stakes Races in 2015

Palace Malice will target a five-stake 2015 campaign, starting with the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes in May and culminating with the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in November, it was announced today by Cot Campbell, speaking for co-owners Dogwood Stable and Three Chimneys Farm.

The hero of the Grade 1 Metropolitan Mile and three other graded stakes in 2014, Palace Malice’s campaign was aborted in mid-summer with a cannon bone bruise.  He rehabbed at Three Chimneys this fall and is now in full training at Dogwood’s facility in Aiken, South Carolina.

“The logic of the five-race campaign was easily determined by Three Chimneys, Dogwood and Todd Pletcher.  The Westchester is the ideal Belmont prep for an appearance in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Mile, in which he defeated Goldencents two-time Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner this past year.  We would follow with three Grade 1 stakes – the Whitney, early at Saratoga, the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont in the fall and the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland”, Campbell said.

“The four-year-old son of Curlin out of Palace Rumor is galloping now in Aiken and will train there until early January when he goes to Palm Beach Downs and Todd Pletcher.  It will be hard for Todd to hold him until May, but we do want to concentrate on the big races during the latter part of the year”, Campbell said.

Palace Malice has career earnings of $2,676,235, including the rare combination of wins in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and the Grade 1 Metropolitan Mile.  In three years, Palace Malice has started 17 times, with his seven wins also including a trio of Grade 2’s – Jim Dandy Stakes, Gulfstream Park Handicap and the New Orleans Handicap; and the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes.  Palace Malice owns the highest Beyer of 2014 up to one mile.

Source: Dogwood Stable