Belmont Winner Palace Malice Retired

Palace Malice, a six-time graded stakes winner and the 2013 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) victor, has been retired, according to an announcement from Three Chimneys Farm and Cot Campbell. He will stand stud at Three Chimneys near Midway, Ky.



After upsetting the Belmont at odds of 13-1 for his first graded victory, the son of Curlin   also claimed the Jim Dandy (gr. II) at Saratoga Race Course during his 3-year-old year, then went on to win four straight graded stakes as a 4-year-old in 2014. The streak was capped by his second grade I victory in the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park.



"It is with great disappointment that we announce the retirement of Palace Malice," said Cot Campbell, whose Dogwood Stable co-owns the 5-year-old horse. "He is the horse of a lifetime, who has brought our partners exciting memories that will live on forever. He did it all for us, winning a classic and the Met Mile, and a whole lot more along the way."



But his 2015 campaign never seemed to get on track. He ran third in the Diablo Stakes at Belmont in May and was fourth in the Alydar Stakes at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 9.



"After getting a clean bill of health in November, subsequent to an uncharacteristic performance in the Whitney (gr. I) last year, I owed it to my partners and the fans to give it our best shot to see if we could bring (him) back in 2015," Campbell said. "Despite our sporting effort, it was not meant to be."



Palace Malice earned nearly $2.7 million with a record of 7-4-2 from 19 starts.



"Palace Malice was all class from day one," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "He was one of those rare horses whose raw speed allowed him to dominate his division as a miler, yet whose stamina had him winning the Belmont against the best of his generation. He was the most versatile horse I have ever trained and one of the best. You don't see such a talented, multi-dimensional horse like this very often. To win the Belmont one year and come back the next year and win the Met Mile in 1:33 2/5... it's an unbelievable accomplishment, and indicative of his exceptional talent."



His stud fee has yet to be announced.



"Palace Malice is a valuable addition to the strengthening roster at Three Chimneys, as he possesses superb physical (attributes) to go along with an amazing body of work as a racehorse. He sprinted at 2, went the classic distance at 3, and showed off his miler versatility at 4," said Doug Cauthen, vice chair of the Three Chimneys board.

Cauthen said John Malone's Bridlewood Farm will be a cornerstone partner in the horse "and we anticipate that a coalition of shareholder partners will be added over the next month to ensure this extraordinary horse's chances to succeed at stud."