Palazzi Gets Nose Down to Win Texas Turf Mile
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Photo: Coady Photography
Palazzi wins the Texas Turf Mile Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park
It took Palazzi five tries to break his maiden last year at 2, but John Oxley's Pioneerof the Nile colt wasted no time adding black-type to his résumé on his 3-year-old debut in the $200,000 Texas Turf Mile Stakes Jan. 31 at Sam Houston Race Park.
Mark Casse-trained Palazzi was sent off as the 5-2 third choice in the Texas Turf Mile following his Dec. 19 maiden win at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Declan Carroll was in the irons and settled Palazzi in sixth early. Dyn O Mite led the first quarter-mile in :22.74 before dropping back to third. Fighting Force came forward to set fractions of :46.94 and 1:12.17 for a half-mile and three-quarters, respectively.
Carroll rallied Palazzi in the turn and guided his mount four wide heading into the home stretch. The bay colt flew home and got up in the final strides to win by a nose. The time for the mile on firm turf was 1:36.89.
Excess Magic got up for second by a nose and Dyn O Mite finished third ahead of Fighting Force in the 10-horse field.
Bred in Kentucky by HnR Nothhaft Horseracing and Pioneerof the Nile syndicate, Palazzi is out of the multiple stakes-winning Indian Charlie mare Kindle and a half brother to Jan. 15 Forego Stakes winner Made in America (Tiznow). Kindle also has a yearling Into Mischief colt and was reported bred to American Pharoah for 2021.
Palazzi twice went through the sales ring as part of the Ballysax Bloodstock consignment. Co-breeder HnR Nothhaft Horseracing first went to $375,000 to keep him as a weanling at the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. The colt then sold to Team Casse for $510,000 at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's selected yearlings sale in New York, in 2019.
Palazzi has earned $158,520 with two wins and a third in six starts.
Fast Boat Takes Turf Sprint
Fast Boat wins the Turf Sprint Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park
Brad Grady's Fast Boat sped home to capture his first black-type victory Sunday in the $100,000 Pulse Power Turf Sprint Stakes at Sam Houston. The 6-year-old son of City Zip got up to win by a neck as he completed five furlongs in :57.05.
Miguel Mena guided Fast Boat, who was sixth early, then eighth at the quarter pole before setting down for a four-wide drive. Rallying off fractions of :22 and :45.44 set by Shangroyal, Fast Boast passed his rivals down the stretch for the narrow victory over eight other horses. Carotari was second, Change of Control third, and Tiger Blood fourth.
Fast Boat was bred in Kentucky by R. S. Evans out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Yellow Boat, dam of three winners from three to race. Yellow Boat has an unraced 3-year-old named Megayacht and a yearling, both colts by Tonalist , as well as a 2-year-old colt by Quality Road .
Brady and trainer Joe Sharp claimed Fast Boat for $40,000 in October 2018 at Belmont Park after he initially raced for his breeder. Overall, the gelding has an 8-1-3 record from 23 starts and earnings of $396,149.
Video: Texas Turf Mile S. (BT)