Itsmyluckyday, Palace Malice return in Gulfstream Park
Handicap
Itsmyluckyday and Palace Malice will launch their 2014 campaigns in
Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000
Gulfstream
Park Handicap, a one-turn mile event which has attracted a salty field of
eight older horses.
Itsmyluckyday developed into a top three-year-old last season at Gulfstream,
recording excellent wins in the Grade 3 Holy Bull and Gulfstream Park Derby
prior to a runner-up in the Florida Derby to subsequent Kentucky Derby winner
Orb. Following an unplaced effort over a sloppy track in the Kentucky Derby, the
Ed Plesa Jr.-trained colt reaffirmed his class with a good second in the
Preakness.
The Kentucky-bred son of Lawyer Ron made only one more appearance, the June
16 Pegasus at Monmouth Park, but was pulled up and did not finish. It was later
determined that Itsmyluckyday sustained a pelvic fracture. He will return from a
265-day layoff Saturday with new rider Paco Lopez.
Palace Malice appears poised for a successful season. After dropping his
first five starts last year, the Curlin colt broke through with his first stakes
win in the Belmont Stakes, recording a front-running upset, and the Todd
Pletcher charge carried that form forward with a convincing win over Will Take
Charge in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga. A stumbling start cost him dearly
in the Travers Stakes, as he was forced far off the early pace before rallying
to be beaten less than a length in fourth, but Palace Malice rebounded with a
good second against older horses in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Unraced since a sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Palace Malice will pick
up the services of John Velazquez.
Other notables include Grade 1 winner Golden Ticket, runner-up in the
Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile two starts back. Manoel Cruz rides the Kenny McPeek-trained
five-year-old. Falling Sky enters on the upswing for George Weaver, posting a
sharp 5 1/2-length victory in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint in early
February. Brujo de Olleros finished a close second in the Grade 2 Kelso three
starts back and exits a pair of third in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and
Gulfstream Park Sprint.
Uncaptured, the 2012 Horse of the Year in Canada, will look to turn his
fortunes around following a non-threatening fifth in the Grade 1 Donn. Narvaez,
a late-running second at 139-1 odds in the Gulfstream Park Sprint, is also
entered, and multiple Gulfstream Park stakes winner Sr. Quisqueyano rounds out
the field.
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