Palace Malice returns to Pletcher barn

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Palace Malice, the winner of the 2013 Belmont Stakes and the 2014 Metropolitan Handicap, was scheduled to arrive Friday at Todd Pletcher’s barn at the Palm Beach Downs training center following an overnight van ride from South Carolina.

Palace Malice will be pointed to the one-mile Westchester Stakes on May 2 at Belmont Park, according to a Thursday release from Dogwood Stable, which sold a partial interest in the horse last year to Three Chimneys Farm, where Palace Malice will stand at stud after retiring.

Palace Malice, a 5-year-old by Curlin, has had one easy breeze at Dogwood, where he has been in light training since recovering from bone bruising diagnosed last summer. Dogwood previously announced plans for a five-race 2015 campaign ending with the Oct. 31 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.

An earner of almost $2.7 million in 17 career starts, Palace Malice became an early 2014 Horse of the Year candidate by opening his season with four straight graded stakes wins before being sidelined following a sixth-place finish in the Whitney in August.

“He is pretty fit and feisty, and Todd is going to have trouble holding him on the ground until his first scheduled race,” said Dogwood president Cot Campbell.