Adam Coglianese
Antonino Miuccio’s former claimer Palace (City Zip) chalked up a fourth stakes victory and second graded stakes score when he ran down favorite Bakken in the stretch to capture Friday’s Grade 2 $250,000 True North Stakes at Belmont Park, completing the six furlongs in a sizzling 1:08.29 as the 124-pound highweight.
Winner of the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap last Thanksgiving at Aqueduct Racetrack, Palace had been freshened following a pair of runner-up finishes in the Gravesend and Gold and Roses on the Aqueduct inner track in December and January, and an off-the-board effort in the Grade 3 General George at Laurel on February 17.
Said trainer Linda Rice, “He was a little off form in the winter after the Gravesend, and frankly, he just didn’t care for the inner track so I took him to Maryland for the General George. He bled through the Lasix and ran really a subpar effort for him, so I turned him out for 60 days, and he came back great.”
Even so, Rice felt a little doubtful about the Palace’s fitness level coming into the True North, but decided that he had enough in his favor, including a 9-4-4-1 record at Belmont, to justify taking a shot. “He was barely fit enough to run, but he trained very well coming into the race. The race looked like it had a lot of speed and it set up well for him, and he really likes Belmont.” The race did, in fact, come up very fast, courtesy of Rice’s other entrant in the True North, New York-bred Marriedtothemusic, a speedy stakes-winning homebred for Dutchess Views Farm making his graded stakes debut.
Palace (9-1) stumbled slightly at the break but recovered quickly and set up shop at the rail, while Marriedtothemusic (6-1) exited post six like a shot and ticked off the first quarter-mile in 22.13 seconds and the half in 44.44, hotly pursued by 2-1 favorite Bakken.
Adam Coglianese
Their relative positions remained unchanged until Palace angled out in the three-path exiting the far turn and set his sights on Bakken, who inherited the lead after Marriedtothemusic succumbed to the swift early fractions.
Up on nearly even terms with a furlong to go, Palace eventually wore down the resilient Bakken, edging away to a three-quarter length victory. Salutos Amigos (3-1) completed the trifecta, followed across the line by Eastwood, Dads Caps, Marriedtothemusic and Integrity. Royal Currier and Well Spelled scratched. [VIDEO]
Winning jockey Jose Ortiz felt he had the ideal trip. “I knew there was a lot of pace in the race, and I knew he had a chance to win because he can close, and that’s what happened,” said Ortiz. He broke very sharp and was in perfect position. When I asked him to go, he went. A good horse, a lot of class. Linda did a tremendous job with him.”
Rice, who trained Palace’s sire City Zip to six graded stakes victories, added, “Great ride. This horse will press early or he can settle; he’s a gem to ride.”
Since being claimed from Bill Mott and WinStar farm out of an 11 3/4-length maiden-breaking romp at Belmont fourth out on October 6, 2012, Palace has put together a remarkable resume, winning eight races including the Chowder’s First Stakes at Saratoga in his stakes debut, the Hudson Handicap at Belmont on Empire Showcase Day and the Grade 3 Fall Highweight at Aqueduct. Palace’s victory in the Grade 2 True North boosts his earnings to $719,550 and runs up his record to an enviable 9-4-2 from 18 starts.
Bred by The Peter J. Callahan Revocable Trust Dated 2/28/02 and foaled at Stone Bridge Farm in Gansevoort, Palace changed hands only once at auction, purchased by Doug Cauthen, agent for $160,000 at the 2011 OBS select sale of 2-year-olds in training.
Palace is one of three winning foals and two stakes performers from Receivership, a seven-time winner by End Sweep ($198,300) who brought $85,000 at the 2005 OBS Winter mixed sale and also produced stakes-placed Retriever. A half-sister to Grade 2 winner French Park, Receivership currently has a 2-year-old this year by Badge of Silver named Wincoma, a yearling colt by Posse and weanling filly by Pomeroy.
