See that red white and blue pole? I was right next to that on the fence for this. Waaaaa Palace Malice? I must be his lucky charm because the last time he won for fun (or at all) was when I was there for his Saratoga maiden win. I guess he and I are buddies now.
Palace Malice! The latest one of my Saratoga ponies to do awesome things (Photo by Gary Hershorn)
It wasn’t my first trip to Belmont Park, and it certainly won’t be my last— possibly this year alone. Last year, I delighted in the triumph of Union Rags in the Belmont Stakes and made the pilgrimage from western Massachusetts over the Throgs Neck Bridge to New York’s Long Island for the third jewel of the Triple Crown. The race has a pulse different from the other races whether you watch it in person or on TV, and many who have been to all 3 races have told me it is special in its own way and a race they just have to make it to. Read on for my personal journey, insights, and handicapping triumphs and woes (mostly woes) from the big day I’ve been looking forward to since the start of the crown.
(Curlin x Palace Rumor, by Royal Anthem)
Background: How many horses does the Toddster have? Quite a few this year, for sure, but it was a hard sell that one of the first Curlins would not get in. Palace Malice was certainly a two-year-old to watch from last year, and while he’s been riddled with poor trips, he made a last-ditch dive in for points at the Blue Grass Stakes (I). Like stablemate Revolutionary, he is a product of the storied W.S. Farish breeding program.
Prep Schedule: Palace Malice scored his maiden win on his second try going 6 1/2 furlongs in a talented Saratoga maiden special weight then was done for the year. In his three-year-old debut, he was a strong second behind the speedster Majestic Hussar in a sloppy Gulfstream allowance. Suffering a bad trip in the Risen Star (II) next out, he still managed to take the stretch-out to 1 1/16 miles well to dive in for third place, beaten by just a half-length. He encountered yet another bad trip in the Louisiana Derby (II) stretching out to 9 furlongs, getting jostled to be 7th. Trying yet again, he nearly got the win in the Blue Grass (I), but was edged out late by Java’s Pass by a neck.
Pedigree: Part of Curlin’s first crop to race, Palace Malice has some substantial potential to be a force on virtually any surface much like his multi-G1 winning sire, who made a winning effort in all three of the 2007 Triple Crown races. Dam Palace Rumor was a stakes winner on turf in her day, and with her pedigree it’s not that surprising. Her sire is Royal Anthem, who like his own sire Theatrical [IRE] was a star on the turf, winning a G1 and running 2nd to Daylami [IRE] in the 2000 Breeders’ Cup Turf. Palace Rumor’s dam is by Red Ransom, an international turf influence. Palace Malice is pretty clean of inbreeding barring two further-back traces to Northern Dancer.
Estimated TrueNicks Rating: C Variant 1.19
Running Style: Midpack, off-the-pace
Pros: Does a bad trip equal a bad horse? Nope. Palace Malice has yet to really extend himself thanks to a host of cruddy trips, and the addition of Mike Smith and blinkers ought to help him out. Imagine if he didn’t have so many bad trips: he was off the board only once!
Cons: He’s been second for 3 of his 6 starts and has just been full of excuses why. Layoff, traffic, possibly just not good enough. Out of all the Pletchers, he’s likely the weakest link and hasn’t shown us much that proves he’s Derby material.
Final Word: I am biased in hoping to see something miraculous since Palace Malice is the only Derby runner I’ve seen in the flesh and it would be awesome to see him win. However, I recognize he has a lot stacked up against him missing out on that Blue Grass win and after so many races, does he have a big run left in him? Well, he did appear to outwork his Arkansas Derby (I)-winning stablemate today in blinks… wild card!
Just looking over my old Belmont Stakes day images instead of doing homework. Makes me all kinds of miffed that I didn’t have a faster and longer lens that day, which kept being cloudy and sunny on and off which fuzzed up just about all of my pictures. THIS YEAR WILL BE DIFFERENT NOW THAT I HAVE LIKE 4 DIFFERENT LENSES! Al Khali and Mike Smith before the Manhattan Handicap (I).
2012 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (I) champion Mizdirection with Mike Smith and owner Jim Rome
Oh how cute, they match. Silver Swallow before her 4th place in the Bayakoa Handicap (II) with Mike Smith (Photo by Jeanine Williams)
Game On Dude, still the west’s best after winning the Native Diver (II) with Mike Smith at Hollywood Park in his 8th graded stakes triumph. Go Dude! (Here with old jockey Chantal Sutherland)
When discussing extremely hyped, debuting horses, Zenyatta’s half sister Eblouissante (by Bernardini) is going to take the cake. The dark bay filly is following in her older sister’s footsteps being trained by John Shirreffs and will make her first career start— much like Zenyatta did herself— in November of her three-year-old year. She will be going 1 1/16 miles against 7 other female maidens in race #4 on Friday at Hollywood Park.
![History made and repeated: Mike Smith wins his record-breaking 16th Breeders’ Cup win, surpassing Jerry Bailey’s record of 15, while Royal Delta becomes only the second mare to win two Ladies’ Classics back-to-back after the great Bayakoa [ARG].
Mr. Besilu, thank you for spending $8 million on this mare who was totally worth it as she keeps on winning with her original trainer and will hopefully try for the Classic next year… that is, if you’re sticking to your game plan.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mcwj9gyyWw1qjnzixo1_400.jpg)
History made and repeated: Mike Smith wins his record-breaking 16th Breeders’ Cup win, surpassing Jerry Bailey’s record of 15, while Royal Delta becomes only the second mare to win two Ladies’ Classics back-to-back after the great Bayakoa [ARG].
Mr. Besilu, thank you for spending $8 million on this mare who was totally worth it as she keeps on winning with her original trainer and will hopefully try for the Classic next year… that is, if you’re sticking to your game plan.
My most favorite things in life are those that inspire me and motivate me to do better, to do more, and to do it now.
Tracks visited: Calder, Saratoga, Belmont, Suffolk.
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