Palace Malice has few challengers in Westchester

Palace Malice, arguably the top older male in training this year, figures to be a short-priced favorite in Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Westchester Stakes at Belmont Park.

Only three horses were entered against Palace Malice, the winner of the Gulfstream Park and New Orleans handicaps this year, prompting NYRA officials to card this as the third race.

The Westchester, run as a one-turn mile, is the prep for the $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap, also a one-turn mile. Though Palace Malice has already been successful in the one-turn, one-mile Gulfstream Park Handicap this year, trainer Todd Pletcher wants reassurance that the one-turn mile is “something he can specialize in. ... This will determine whether or not to go in the Met.”

Declan’s Warrior, last year’s Grade 3 Bay Shore winner; I’m Steppin’ It Up, a recent optional-claiming winner at Calder; and Red Rifle, the Maxxam Gold Cup winner also trained by Pletcher, are the others entered.