Palace Episode’s first winner comes in France

Palace Episode, a Group 1 winner and freshman sire, had his first winner on Sunday when Ponthieu broke his maiden by three lengths at Aix le Bains in France.

Ponthieu, a 2-year-old colt, completed the 1,200-meter (about six-furlong) race in 1:12.50 over turf labeled as soft to win in his seventh start. Bred in France by Haras de Beauvoir, Ponthieu is out of the Brief Truce mare Piste Sauvage.

Palace Episode, a 10-year-old son of Machiavellian, stands at Haras du Logis Saint Germain in France for an advertised fee of $3,929 (3,000 Euros). His first crop consists of six foals.

Initially campaigned by Theresa Marnane, who also owns Ponthieu, Palace Episode was a successful juvenile in England, where he won the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy and the listed Acomb Stakes in 2005. After two seasons of racing in Europe, he made his U.S. debut in 2007, a year in which he won an allowance at Saratoga Race Course and finished third in the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap.

In total, Palace Episode won four of 17 career races for earnings of $375,137.

Bred in Kentucky by Catesby Clay and Runnymede Farm, Palace Episode is out of the Seattle Dancer mare Palace Weekend, who is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner and 1995 Kentucky-Derby runner-up Tejano Run. Palace Weekend is a producer of six winners from eight foals to race, including the winning Unbridled’s Song mare Adventure, who is the dam of Group 2 winner Laughing Lashes.

Palace Episode’s other notable family members include Canadian champion Spring in the Air, Grade 2 winners Changing Ways and More Royal, and Grade 3 winners Jacodra and Jacodra’s Devil.