Elmont, NY (SportsNetwork.com) – A recurring injury has forced Palace Malice
out of a defense of Saturday’s Westchester Handicap at Belmont Park.
Palace Malice, trained by Todd Pletcher, has a bruised right foot and will be
unable to start in the Westchester to begin his 2015 season. The injury was
discovered Thursday.
“We’re distressed about it, of course, but it is not serious,” owner Cot
Campbell said Thursday afternoon. “He did not train yesterday or today, and
may not train tomorrow, and to go into a race like the Westchester without
full preparation is not right. We’ve waited a long time to run him. The plan
is to move onto the Metropolitan Handicap (on June 6).”
Palace Malice has not raced since suffering a bone bruise during the running
of the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga last August. A five race campaign had been
put together for Palace Malice beginning with the Westchester.
“It’s a shame, because with the exception of Tonalist, the Westchester seemed
like a good place to bring him back,” said Campbell. “We’ll look ahead now to
the Met Mile.”
Owned by Dogwood Stable and Three Chimneys Farm, the 5-year-old horse won last
year’s Gulfstream Park and New Orleans Handicaps along with the Westchester
and Met Mile. The colt, winner of the 2013 Belmont Stakes, has seven wins from
17 career starts for $2,676,135.
