LEXINGTON, Ky. - Many horses had their plans altered when the $300,000 Palisades Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters was moved off the turf and to Keeneland's sloppy main track due to the flooding rain that has soaked Kentucky for several days. The race scratched from an overflow field of 11 down to six starters. One of those who remained was Normandy Coast. "We were actually praying for rain this week," trainer Eddie Kenneally said. "We wanted to run him on the dirt here, and it worked out perfectly." With a nifty move from jockey Ben Curtis to come inside Long Neck Paula cutting the corner, Normandy Coast ($7.24) powered clear in the final yards for a 3 1/2-length win in the Palisades. Long Neck Paula, the only prior stakes winner who remained in the depleted field, was facing colts again at Keeneland after defeating open company in the Bowman Mill Stakes on fast dirt at the fall meet. The filly scampered away well from the rail in the small field, and Gerardo Corrales let her use her speed, opening a 1 1/2-length lead through a sharp opening quarter in 21.92 seconds. Curtis had Normandy Coast hugging the rail behind her in a stalking position, and rounding the far turn, was able to go inside the filly, with the ground saved helping to cut into her margin. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. “The horse in front was just getting out a little bit off the rail, and I knew our lad stayed very well,” said Curtis, who rode his first Keeneland stakes winner. “When the opportunity presented itself, I said, ‘perfect, we’ll take the shortest way around.’” The final time for the 5 1/2 furlongs on the sloppy, sealed track was 1:04.35. After Long Neck Paula, it was 7 3/4 lengths back to Killjoy in third. Flat to Do Mat, Turbulent Force, and an eased Brie's in Town rounded out the order of finish. Normandy Coast, by Omaha Beach, won his maiden at second asking last July at Ellis Park, then won a six-furlong allowance-optional claiming race in January at Fair Grounds in his 3-year-old debut. Trying a mile in the Grade 3 Gotham on March 1 at Aqueduct, he pressed the pace early and briefly had a head in front before fading badly to ninth. Kenneally said he will keep the colt in 3-year-old dirt sprint stakes moving forward. Because it was forced off the turf, the Palisades was automatically dropped one level according to American Graded Stakes Committee rules, from listed to non-listed black-type status. The Committee will review the race within five days, and may restore its prior status. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.