Pletcher undecided about next starts for Verrazano, Palace Malice

Verrazano (inside), seen here working two weeks ago, was unable to factor in the Travers as the 8-5 favorite (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography)

Trainer Todd Pletcher reported Sunday morning that favorite Verrazano and second-choice Palace Malice returned from their
respective seventh- and fourth-place finishes in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million
Travers at Saratoga good order, and that a decision
on their next starts would not be forthcoming for a few days.

“We’re disappointed,” Pletcher acknowledged. “Any time after a race, you
don’t only look at that race but their entire body of work. As far as their next
starts, we have no firm plans. We’ll wait a few days and talk it over with Mr.
(Cot) Campbell and the other connections before we make any decisions.”

While Palace Malice wound up beaten less than a length
after stumbling at the start, Pletcher could offer no excuse for Verrazano,
winner of the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct and Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.

“(Verrazano) is still six-for-eight and a multiple Grade 1
winner,” he said of the More Than Ready colt. “We’re disappointed in yesterday’s
performance but we’re not disappointed in the horse.

Palace Malice’s bad break may have cost him a better placing in the Travers (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography)

“Unfortunately, he came up a length short. For a number of reasons, the bad
start was compromising. When you tack on the fact they didn’t go very fast up
front, I thought he ran a great race, considering all that.”

The Pletcher barn was far from empty-handed Saturday, as
Capo Bastone took advantage of torrid early fractions and came from 10th to
upset the Grade 1, $500,000 King’s Bishop at 28-1.

“We were hoping we would get a favorable pace set-up,”
Pletcher remarked. “We felt like the horse was training very well into it. Based
on the strength of his training, we thought we’d take a shot, and it worked
out.”

The trainer wasn’t sitting on his laurels Sunday, sending out a contingent of
workers over Saratoga’s fast main track worktab. Among those hitting the track were 2012
champion two-year-old male Shanghai Bobby, who clocked five
furlongs in 1:00 4/5 in company with Graydar, who hasn’t competed since taking
the Donn Handicap in February and the New Orleans Handicap in late March. Also
posting a move was Whitney Invitational
Handicap winner Cross Traffic, who went a half-mile in :48.

“Shanghai continues to go great,” Pletcher said. “We’re still a
month or so away, but I like what we’re seeing so far. He’s coming back and
getting fit a week or so ahead of what we anticipated. We’re really pleased with
him and happy to have him back.