Stallwalkin' Dude hangs on to win Diablo

The in-form Stallwalkin’ Dude won for the fourth consecutive time, holding off Clearly Now through a five-sixteenths of a mile duel to win Sunday’s $100,000 Diablo Stakes by a head at Belmont Park.

Meanwhile, Palace Malice, the 2013 Belmont Stakes winner and 2014 Metropolitan Handicap winner, was third in his first start since the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap last August. Palace Malice broke a little slow under John Velazquez, was last early, and made a wide, belated run to finish third, beaten 3 1/2 lengths. He was running at less than his optimum distance and was sprinting for the first time since he was a 2-year-old.

His connections were hoping to use this race as a prep for the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on June 6, a race he won last year.

Palace Malice was scratched out of the Westchester Stakes on May 2 with a minor foot issue that quickly resolved itself.

"It was what we were expecting; he got out-footed early and seemed to close pretty well,” trainer Todd Pletcher said of Palace Malice’s performance. “He galloped out well, so hopefully we got what we needed out of him. We knew it wasn't ideal coming in, but the options we had were limited. Hopefully it moves him forward."

It was the first stakes win for Stallwalkin’ Dude, who won for the fifth time in his last six starts for owner-trainer David Jacobson. He was ridden to victory by apprentice Angel Cruz.

Stallwalkin’ Dude took the lead from Piquant and had a length lead after an opening quarter run in 22.63 seconds. He was confronted from the outside by Clearly Now at the five-sixteenths pole, and the two staged a terrific stretch drive in which Clearly Now even poked a head in front near the eighth pole. But Stallwalkin’ Dude battled back along the inside of Clearly Now and prevailed while running six furlongs in 1:09.48. He returned $11.

“He's unbelievable,” Jacobson said. “He's really proven himself to be a legitimate horse to be reckoned with coming into the spring and summer at Saratoga. I was expecting a much easier field. When you have Palace Malice and Clearly Now, this race really deserved a [grade] next to it."

Tenango and Classic Salsa, also trained by Jacobson, were scratched. Palace, the multiple Grade 1 winner trained by Linda Rice also was scratched. Rice said she didn’t want to run Palace in such a tough race knowing there were other tough assignments out there for him later this year. Instead, Rice said she will train Palace up to the Grade 2 True North on June 5. Palace won the True North last year.