“I don’t get no respect”-Rodney Dangerfield
Palace is coming in to The Grade 1 $400,000 Vosburgh Invitational on Super Saturday at Belmont Park this weekend with back to back Grade 1 triumphs at Saratoga in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap and the Forego Stakes. One may say he is the best sprinter in America today yet he seems to never get the respect he deserves. There are some neat things to his story. First and foremost is that Palace has reached this elite status after being claimed for $20,000 by Linda Rice and Antonino Miuccio off a maiden win at Belmont Park in October 2012. He is also a New York bred out of City Zip, who is also known as a super turf sire and whose top earners have been on turf. Finally, Palace is trained by Linda Rice, arguably the most successful female trainer in the racing industry. With this article I first want to look at his racing career to date and see what factors lead to his winning efforts and which ones don’t. Next I want to feature his pedigree for clues as to where his talent comes from. Then I’m going to look and see who his competition might be in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. I will conclude my article by giving you my two cents on if Palace has what it takes to become a Breeders’ Cup Champion.
Racing Career to Date
Palace’s career has gone from taking 4 times to break his maiden (which he did impressively by 11 lengths and then traded hands from William Mott to Linda Rice), winning some allowance races which led to a stakes breakthrough at first asking and a Grade 3 victory as well. He then went on to run 2 second place finishes in stakes company and a 4th place run in a Grade 3 event as the favorite in all 3 events. Rice than gave him rest from February 2014 till June 6th where he was entered in the $250,000 Grade 2 True North Handicap at Belmont Park. Going off at 9-1 odds, Palace closed into a very hot pace and defeated the 2-1 favorite Bakken by 3/4 of a length. A very impressive score coming off a 6 month rest and it would lead to greater accomplishments later on. His next test would be in the $400,000 Grade 3 Belmont Sprint Championship. In that race Clearly Now ran away from the field and in the process broke a track record. Palace finished some 6 lengths back for second. Rice liked what she saw and brought him to Saratoga to be entered in his first Grade one contest, the 350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap. Going off at 2-1 second choice he caught a loose on the lead My Happy Face with his strong finishing kick to win by 1 furlong. Rice then thought about sitting him for the Vosburgh because the Forego was at 7 furlongs (not his ideal distance) but he was training very well ands it was a $500,000 race so she went for it and rewarded his 9-2 backers with another Grade 1 victory, this time by 3 1/2 lengths. In this race he turned the tables and beat even money favorite Clearly Now. Let’s take a look at this winning performance:
So moving forward, Palace will race this Saturday in the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes at Belmont Park and then it’s on to Santa Anita for The Breeders’ Cup Sprint if he comes out of the race in good order. What have we learned about Palace?
East Coast: Palace has never travelled outside of the east coast to race. The long distance trip to California on an unfamiliar track may prove to be a little bit tricky for him.
Hot Pace: Palace does likes a fast track where he can pounce on the speed with his strong closing kick. The races he has lost have all involved slower paces that his strong finish is not suited for. He should get a fast track at Santa Anita but I’m sure they won’t allow for the same speed bias that occurred at last year’s Breeders’ Cup. We’ll have to wait and see what kind of speed is signed up for the race but the more the merrier for Palace.
Distance: Palace is best suited going 6 furlongs (the distance of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint), where he is 7-4-1 out of 12 starts. At 7 furlongs he is only 1 for 5 in wins, though the G1 Forego last out was at 7 Furlongs.
Heart: Palace has a tremendous competitive spirit and determination to hit the wire first that enables him to be competitive in most any of his races.
Natural Speed: Palace has a good amount of natural speed to stay in contention in his races. He’ll need this because a decent percentage of dirt sprints are won in wire to wire fashion at Santa Anita and it definitely helps to stay within striking distance of the leaders there and not fall to far back.
Break and Post: I’ve noted that Palace has had a couple of bobbled breaks that he’s been able to overcome in victory-he may not be able to do that at Santa Anita. If he breaks well post position may not effect him a lot-he won from the number 1 post in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap. Let’s see if he can repeat this feat from that some post in the G1 Vosburgh Stakes.
Pedigree
Palace sold for $160,000 as an OBS March selected two-year-old in training. He is the leading earner for his dad City Zip, an underrated but extremely successful sire who was also trained by Rice. Although well regarded as a turf producer, he gave us Bustin Stones (undefeated winning dirt sprinter, winner of the Grade One Carter along with 4 other stakes wins). City Zip is a half-brother to Hall of Famer Ghostzapper. City Zip earned over $800,000 on the track and won 6 Graded Stakes including the Grade One Hopeful Stakes. He produces a lot of sprinter types as did his dad, Chef De Race Carson City, who sired over 100 stakes winners. His dad, Mr. Prospector, is a sire of sires and all three of them were tremendous sprinters on the track.
Palace’s dam, Receivership, is the dam of stakes-placed Retreiver. She is also a seven-time winner by End Sweep ($198,300) who brought $85,000 at the 2005 OBS Winter mixed sale His second dam is Grade 2-placed Alarming Prospect, who produced Receivership’s Grade 2-scoring half-sister, French Park. His 3rd dam, Hasty Prospect, is the dam of stakes placed Sunny Go North.
Palace’s dam sire is End Sweep. He was a Grade 3 winning sprinter who as a sire set a world record with 33 juvenile winners in 1998. He was a champion first, second and third crop sire in North America and in 2002 he had the most winners out of any sire in North America. End Sweep was known to be a strong speed influence on to his offspring. Palace’s 2nd dam sire is Hall of Famer Forty Niner and his 3rd dam sire is Mr. Prospector. So Palace is inbred with Mr. Prospector 3X4 and Native Dancer 5X5. Palace hails from the same female family as Breeders’ Cup Classic Champion Invasor.
So as you can see Palace does have a bit of class with his mares and he is bred for speed top to bottom with very successful colts both on the track and in the breeding shed.
The Competition
Here is who I’ve read may be running against Palace in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
Falling Sky (Lion Heart): Finished 3rd in the Vanderbilt to Palace. He best distance appears to be 7 furlongs. Falling Sky ran a quality 2nd to Revolutionary in mile race at Gulfstream at the beginning of the year. He than went on to win the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint in front running fashion. In his last race he finished third to Palace in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt, beaten by 3 1/2 lengths. He is one who may like may like a fast track like Santa Anita since Gulfstream is usually speed favoring. He is very fast horse.
Clearly Now is taking 60 days off and may resume racing in December after a disappointing 8th place finish in the Forego Stakes.
Secret Circle (Eddington): The 2013 Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion. He has returned to training the past few months and is pointing towards another go of it in November. Secret Circle has not raced since finishing 2nd in a Grade 2 race in February. He also won the 2012 inaugural Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint. His trainer Bob Baffert did this with Midnite Lute in 2008-giving him 1 race over an 11 month period on his was to his 2nd BC Sprint Championship. Secret Circle knows this track well. He is another very fast horse.
Big Macher (Beau Genius): California bred and trained by Richard Baltas. He is another west coast horse. Big Macher is 3 for 5 at Santa Anita. He won the Grade 2 Potrero Grande at Santa Anita in April and the Grade 1 Bing Crosby on synthetics at Del Mar at the end of July. He bounced in his last effort, finishing 6th in the Pat O’Brien Handicap at Deel Mar. Big Macher is also 3 for 5 at 6 furlongs. He too is a $20,000 claimer. Big Macher is also known for his will to win and he usually sits right off the leaders in his races.
Coup de Grace (Tapit): $300,000 purchase. Trained by Larry Jones. Coup de Grace is a 3 year old. His speed figures are on the side. Coup de Grace won the Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga this past July. He raced 3rd in the King’s Bishop where the winner, The Big Beast, looked ultra impressive but hurt himself and is sidelined. Coup de Grace is a closer who prefers a hot pace like Palace. He is running in the Vosburgh Stakes as well.
Heitai (Fusiachi Pegasus): Heitai is a Louisiana bred and is a gelding. Heitai has won 4 0f his last 5 stakes races at Louisiana Downs and Evangeline Downs. Ran 5th in Grade 3 attempt at Oaklawn. Another one with great speed in the race.
Rich Tapestry (Holy Roman Emporer): Hong kong horse will be a first runner in the Breeders’ Cup ever from that country. Trained by Michael Chang. Rich Tapestry hasn’t raced since the end of April. He is a Grade 3 winner and Grade 1 placed in Dubai. He will contest The Santa Anita Sprint Championship on October 4th. Some people say that Hong Kong sprinters are the best in the world. Rich Tapestry has experience running on dirt at Sha Tin in Hong Kong. He is another horse who shows speed in his races.
Happy My Way (Wilko): This horse finished a game second, 1 length behind Palace in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt. That was his first Graded Stakes race. Before that he had won 4 of his last 5 races. He also has won 4 of 7 at 6 furlongs. He is trained by Joseph F. Forseno. He posted the fastest times at Gulfstream Park for the meet at 6 and 6 1/2 furlongs and seems to appreciate a speed favoring track. Another one who prefers running on the lead.
Grade One Vosburgh Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Sprint Analysis For Palace
Palace’s story is a great one and I would only hope for his rule to carry him all the way to a Breeders’ Cup Sprint Championship. The upcoming Vosburgh Stakes on Belmont Park’s Super Saturday has shaped out to be a promising one for him. He has proven that he can break from the one hole and win…he just needs to break alertly and let the speed pass him by. And there is plenty in there, including Private Zone, Ribo Bobo, Happy My Way (finished a game second to Palace by a length in the Forego Stakes), Dads Cap (Grade One Carter winner, may run in the BC Sprint with a good showing here) and Zee Bros. If Palace runs the race he usually does he might be able to pounce on a hot pace and pull off a Grade One hat trick.
With all the speed signed up for The Breeders’ Cup Sprint you will find some horses who won’t fare well not being on the lead. On top of that there is a chance of pace meltdown occurring, which would only benefit Palace’s chances. Also of note is that Cornelio Velasquez, Palace’s rider, won this race in 2003 aboard Cajun Beat. Palace’s Beyer Speed Figures are right up there with his competition and he appears to be in peak form right now. He has also been ultra consistent-winning 3 of his last 4 races since his 4 month break with his only loss coming to a horse who broke a track record that day in a race that was not his preferred distance. And with 2 Grade One winners in his last two outings no one would question his class to prevail in this race.
I would love nothing more than to give Palace a glowing review because his climb to the top of the throne has been phenomenal but I do have some reservations about this race for him. First is the travel. Palace has never raced outside of the east coast and you never know how a long distance travel will effect him. He is at a disadvantage to horses such as Big Macher, Secret Circle or Rich Tapestry who are based in Southern California currently and will have trained and raced over the Santa Anita track. In 2012 though Trinniberg went cross country and won the BC Sprint at Santa Anita but he was more well travelled than Palace before that race. Secondly is how sprint races play out at Santa Anita. They are not closer friendly. Palace will really need to be in contention after a quarter mile to have a chance to win the race. These horses should be going at a 21 second quarter and possibly sub 44 second half mile. As stated earlier Palace has natural speed but he is not used to tracking this kind of pace close up. This will be key for him and hopefully he will have enough in reserve to use his strong kick to pass tiring horses at the end of the race.
Overall I think Palace is a special horse who knows how to win and has that extra gear at the end of his races to come out on top. He has a nice set up in his next 2 races with an apparent strong amount of pace to run in to. Seeing Palace win The Breeders’ Cup Sprint would be a great story of a horse who rose all the way to the top of the mountain without any glamour along the way. I sure hope he can pull it off-I think many of us do.
Regal Bloodlines 