Laurel Park: Palace invades for General George Handicap

While six New York-bred sprinters tackle the $100,000 Hollie Hughes Stakes at Aqueduct, the talented New York-bred Palace will take his show on the road to Laurel Park for Monday’s Grade 3, $250,000 General George Handicap.

In addition to seeking a more lucrative prize, trainer Linda Rice felt that it was necessary to get Palace off of Aqueduct’s inner track, feeling his last two starts over that surface – both second-place finishes in stakes – were subpar.

“I don’t think Palace runs his best race on the inner track,” Rice said. “I’m hoping the long stretch at Laurel gives him a chance to run his best race.”

Palace was made the 8-5 morning-line favorite for the General George, run at seven furlongs. Though initially drawn with nine runners, the field will lose at least one as Javerre, last year’s General George winner, will have to scratch. Javerre is based at Parx Racing, where a travel restriction has been placed on horses based there after a horse tested positive on the backside for equine herpesvirus.

Palace was claimed for $20,000 by Rice on behalf of owner Antonino Miuccio in the fall of 2012. In 12 subsequent starts, Palace has 7 wins and 4 seconds with earnings of $537,050. He won three stakes, including the Grade 3 Fall Highweight over Aqueduct’s main track.

Though most of his success has come at six furlongs, Palace has won at 6 1/2 and 7 1/2 furlongs, easing any concern Rice has about the seven furlongs of the General George.

“I don’t see distance as a problem,” said Rice, who has Cornelio Velasquez to ride Palace from post 6.

Rice was a little concerned that Palace, as the 120-pound highweight, has to concede five to eight pounds to the rest of the field. Also, Palace had been on a van about an hour Saturday morning before returning to New York. He was on the same van with La Verdad, who was scheduled to run in Saturday’s Barbara Fritchie, a race that was postponed to Feb. 22 when Saturday’s Laurel card was canceled.

Palace is a stalker, and there does appear to be ample speed in the field, most of it drawn inside of him, including Warrioroftheroses and Smash and Grab.

Tenango, who like Palace will ship down from New York for the General George, is coming off a second-level allowance win going six furlongs over the inner track on Jan. 18. He was one of seven horses trainer David Jacobson nominated to the race, but the only one he entered.

“I love Tenango in there,” Jacobson said. “Not that I love seven-eighths for him, but I don’t like it for some of the others in there.”

Jacobson has named Alex Cintron to ride Tenango, who was assigned 112 pounds.

The top four finishers from Laurel’s Fire Plug Stakes – all separated by two lengths – have returned for the General George. While Broad Rule won the race, he may be better suited to six furlongs. Service for Ten, second in the Fire Plug, was closing the gap on Broad Rule in the Fire Plug, his first start off a two-month layoff and may be ready to take a step forward. Service for Ten has been worse than third in only one of 12 over Laurel’s dirt track.

Sheldon Russell rides from post 4.

Well Spelled, fourth in the Fire Plug, is making his second start off a long layoff and appears to be healthy again after surgery late in his 3-year-old campaign limited him to two starts the last 17 months. At 3, Well Spelled won the Grade 3 Jersey Shore Stakes at Monmouth and the $300,000 Gallant Bob, both at six furlongs. This will be his first try at seven-eighths.

Warrioroftheroses, third after setting the pace in the Fire Plug, Smash and Grab, and Bandbox complete the field.

◗ Florida-based trainer Marty Wolfson sent two mares to Maryland for stakes over the holiday weekend. While he will have to wait another week to run Centrique in the Grade 3 Barbara Fritchie, he will send out Malibu Red in Monday’s $100,000 Maryland Racing Media Stakes at 1 1/8 miles.

Malibu Red is coming off a 7 3/4-length victory in a second-level allowance race at Calder on Jan. 24. The last horse Wolfson ran at Laurel was Miss Singhsix, who won this race in 2010.

Celtic Katie and Ilikecandy are the two main threats in the field. Tanivan will have to scratch as she is based at Parx and will not be allowed to ship due to the aforementioned travel restrictions. Lunar Surge completes the field.