Palace takes a bow in Gravesend
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Palace will look to put a bow on a sensational career Saturday when he makes his 30th and final start in the $100,000 Gravesend Stakes as racing resumes at Aqueduct following a five-day holiday break.
A few days after the Gravesend, Palace, a 6-year-old son of City Zip, will join the stallion roster at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky.
“He doesn’t look like a horse that needs to move on to another career, but that is set in stone, and that’s the way it’s going to be,” trainer Linda Rice said.
Understandably, Rice will have a difficult time saying goodbye to Palace, a horse she claimed for $16,000 on Oct. 6, 2012, for Antonino Miuccio. In 25 starts since, Palace has won 11 races, including seven stakes, two of which were Grade 1 races – the Alfred G. Vanderbilt and Forego, both at Saratoga in the summer of 2014. Palace earned $1,536,550 for Miuccio and Rice.
This year hasn’t been quite as strong as last year for Palace, who missed part of the spring with a throat infection, then suffered a foot injury when he stumbled at the start of the John Morrissey Stakes in July at Saratoga. He came back with a good effort in the Grade 1 Vosburgh, won the Hudson Stakes, then had a troubled trip when squeezed down the backstretch and finishing third in Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel.
Most recently, on Thanksgiving Day, Palace was beaten a head by Green Gratto in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap over Aqueduct’s main track. Palace meets Green Gratto and Fall Highweight third-place finisher Fabulous Kid in the Gravesend. Palace conceded nine pounds to Green Gratto in the Fall Highweight but gets two pounds from that rival on Saturday.
KEY CONTENDERS
Palace (Last 3 Beyers: 101-93-93)
◗ He should get a good setup with the speedy Jake N Elwood and Green Gratto to his inside.
◗ Has had a month between starts after having only 12 days between the De Francis Dash and the Fall Highweight.
◗ Put in a solid five-furlong workout in 1:01.54 over the Belmont training track last Saturday.
“He’s really feeling very sharp,” Rice said.
Alex the Terror (Last 3 Beyers: 96-94-94)
◗ Has three wins and a neck defeat in four starts since being claimed by John Toscano in August at Saratoga. Toscano said he’s trained the colt lightly since he’s got him, jogging him two miles on many mornings.
◗ Versatile running style makes him a threat from on or off the pace, and his outside draw gives jockey Angel Arroyo options.
◗ Arroyo picks up the mount because Kendrick Carmouche, aboard for two wins, sticks with Green Gratto.
Green Gratto (Last 3 Beyers: 101-101-93)
◗ Shook off some early pace pressure to win the Fall Highweight, riding an inside speed bias and a nine-pound weight concession from Palace.
◗ Has earned three of his five wins over Aqueduct’s inner track.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Jake N Elwood. Trainer Ramon Preciado is 20-1-4-2 with a $0.26 ROI over the past five years in dirt sprints on the NYRA circuit. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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