Pletcher works Palace Malice in blinkers
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Still unsure why Palace Malice ran so poorly in the Grade 1 Whitney two weeks ago, trainer Todd Pletcher equipped the multiple Grade 1 winner with blinkers for a workout on Saturday morning. Though Palace Malice worked a half-mile in 48.94 seconds, Pletcher said he is unsure whether he will use them on the colt in the Grade 1 Woodward on Aug. 30.
“Just wanted to try them again and see,” Pletcher said. "I always thought the horse was a possible candidate for blinkers. I thought he worked well, but he always works well. Hard to gauge.”
Palace Malice worked four furlongs in 48.94 seconds in company with the champion filly My Miss Aurelia, who is preparing for a start in next Saturday’s Grade 1 Ballerina. The do came home in 23.95 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:01.57.
Asked if he would use the blinkers on Palace Malice in the Woodward, Pletcher said, “I don’t know. I haven’t decided yet.”
Pletcher equipped Palace Malice with blinkers prior to the 2013 Kentucky Derby and the horse set a rapid early pace before fading to 12th. He removed the blinkers for the Belmont Stakes, a race that Palace Malice won.
“I think there were a lot of circumstances surrounding the Derby start in blinkers,” Pletcher said. “Mike [Smith] sent him away from the gate, it was a sloppy track, 120,000 people; I don’t think the blinkers made him aggressive. I galloped him in blinkers one day this week and he galloped the same as he always does.”
Pletcher plans one more work for Palace Malice next weekend. He said he will decide before then whether to use blinkers.