Palazzi noses Excess Magic in Texas Turf Mile

Had the opportunity arisen, Palazzi would have run in a first-level turf-route allowance race at Fair Grounds sometime during January, but when the colt’s intended spot failed to attract sufficient entries to be carded, plans changed. Trainer Mark Casse redirected Palazzi to the $200,000 Texas Turf Mile for 3-year-olds on Sunday at Sam Houston Race Park, and Palazzi won by a nose over Excess Magic.

It was a big score for jockey Declan Carroll, who had piloted Palazzi to a maiden win in December at Fair Grounds, the colt taking a vast leap forward in his first turf start.

“Palazzi was training great up to this race,” said Carroll, son of David Carroll, Fair Grounds assistant to trainer Casse, who trains Palazzi for John Oxley. “We had a lot of confidence in him.”

Excess Magic ran a winning race off turf victories at Remington and Fair Grounds in his last two starts and missed by a whisker. Dyn O Mite, a 23-1 shot, ran well in defeat, finishing about a neck farther back in third. Fighting Force, the 9-5 favorite, was fourth.

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After getting pinched at the start, Palazzi had raced from far behind the leaders in his Fair Grounds maiden win but stuck closer Sunday to strong fractions of 22.74, 46.96, and 1:12.17. Excess Magic tracked the lead pack while racing along the inside, Palazzi in behind him until Carroll swung outside past the five-sixteenths pole to obtain a striking position. When Excess Magic came out for his run it pushed Flash of Mischief off his line and he bumped soundly with Palazzi, but the colt regained his balance and finished determinedly on the outside to narrowly prevail.

Palazzi, by Pioneerof the Nile out of Kindle, by Indian Charlie, stopped the timer in 1:36.89 over firm going and paid $7 to win.

“He relaxed really nicely. He has a lot of class and he’s going to move forward from this,” Carroll said.

Now 2 for 2 on turf, and with the pedigree, disposition, and body to race at longer distances, further forward moves could propel Palazzi toward the top of his division.