Palace Malice still on track for Met Mile

ELMONT, N.Y. – Though he finished third, beaten 3 1/2 lengths in Sunday’s $98,000 Diablo Stakes, Palace Malice remains on course for a repeat bid in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park on June 6, trainer Todd Pletcher said Monday.

In his first start since a sixth-place finish in last August’s Grade 1 Whitney Stakes, Palace Malice broke a step slowly, raced three to four wide throughout, and made a mild bid under John Velazquez in the six-furlong Diablo, finishing behind Stallwalkin’ Dude and Clearly Now.

Pletcher called it “a decent race” considering the layoff, a little bit of a foot issue that forced Palace Malice to miss the Westchester on May 2 and running at a six-furlong distance that was less than ideal.

“I thought the gallop-out was pretty good,” Pletcher said. “Johnny seemed real pleased with it. He came back good, looked good this morning. Hopefully, now we get a good month leading up to the Met.

“We knew it wasn’t ideal going in. We also knew if we were going to make the Met we needed to knock some of the rust off before the Met. Hopefully, that’s what we did yesterday.”

Stallwalkin’ Dude and Clearly Now were separated by a neck in the Diablo, and both could come back in the Grade 2, $250,000 True North Stakes on June 5, their trainers said.

Stallwalkin’ Dude, who led most of the way, won his fourth consecutive race. Owner-trainer David Jacobson said he was surprised the gelding showed as much early speed as he did. His last three wins had come from off the pace.

That was Stallwalkin’ Dude’s eighth race of the year, and his fifth victory.

“We’re taking a look at the True North for him and/or Salutos Amigos,” Jacobson said. “We got a real nice horse here, and we have very high hopes for him for the end of Belmont and Saratoga.”

Trainer Brian Lynch said he was happy to see Clearly Now be as competitive as he was coming off two poor efforts, one in last year’s Forego, the other in this year’s Carter. Lynch said he would consider the True North for him as well.