Palace Malice Ready to Rejoin Pletcher Stable
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After almost three months in winter quarters, two-time grade I winner Palace Malice is scheduled to leave trainer Dogwood Stable's Aiken, S.C., barn the evening of Feb. 12 and ship to trainer Todd Pletcher at Palm Beach Downs.
The 5-year-old son of Curlin , now owned jointly by Three Chimneys Farm and Dogwood Stable, has had one easy breeze in Aiken, and is now ready for a racetrack work routine, according to Dogwood president Cot Campbell.
Palace Malice, who has six graded stakes victories among his seven career wins with earnings of $2,676,135.
"He is pretty fit and feisty, and Todd is going to have trouble holding him on the ground until his first scheduled race on May 2, the Westchester Stakes (gr. III) at Belmont Park," Campbell said. "He has thrived here, after a hiatus in the fall to recover from a bone bruise, presumably incurred during the running of the Whitney Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga."
Under the direction of Dr. Larry Bramlage, Palace Malice has been given a long period of steady but mild exercise while in Aiken, where he has attracted attention during his training.
"Aiken is a racehorse town and Palace Malice is a hero here. Large numbers of people have come out every morning to see him train," Campbell said, noting the attention has added to the pressure of those in charge of the horse.
Winner of the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) and Metropolitan Mile (gr. I), Palace Malice is targeted for starts this year in the Westchester, Metropolitan Mile, Whitney, Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I), and Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I).