Palace Malice will have to do some running in Diablo
ELMONT, N.Y. – After a minor foot issue forced him to scratch Palace Malice from the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes last weekend, trainer Todd Pletcher was scrambling to find a back-up plan to get the horse ready for next month’s Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap.
Sunday’s $100,000 Diablo Stakes at six furlongs at Belmont Park became Plan B, but it did not come up easy.
Palace Malice was one of eight horses entered Friday for Sunday’s Diablo Stakes, including Grade 1 winner Palace and the multiple Grade 3 winner Clearly Now.
“It’s certainly not a soft spot to land,” Pletcher said. “Hopefully it pays dividends down the road.”
Palace Malice, who won the 2013 Belmont Stakes, won last year’s Met Mile and then finished sixth in the Whitney at Saratoga. He was sidelined due to a minor injury, and last fall it seemed like he would be retired when Three Chimneys Farm bought an interest in the colt from Cot Campbell’s Dogwood Stable. Three Chimneys was amenable to racing Palace Malice again, and he was entered in the Westchester then scratched when heat was detected in the horse’s foot. Two days later, the issue had subsided and Palace Malice was back on the track.
On Tuesday, Palace Malice worked four furlongs in 49.20 seconds. Palace Malice has never raced at six furlongs, though he finished second in his career debut on July 5, 2012, at five furlongs and won a maiden race at Saratoga going 6 1/2 furlongs.
John Velazquez will ride Palace Malice from post 6.
Palace won the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt and Grade 1 Forego last summer at Saratoga. He ended his season with a third in the Grade 1 Vosburgh and sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
Palace began his 6-year-old season this year with a fifth in the Grade 1 Carter. Clearly Now finished seventh in the Carter. The connections of Palace and Clearly Now were probably looking at the Diablo as an easy spot to regroup.
Trainer David Jacobson entered three horses in the race: Stallwalkin’ Dude, Classic Salsa, and Tenango. Doubledown Again and Piquant were also entered.