Palace Malice, Normandy Invasion expected for New Orleans ‘Cap

Palace Malice is looking for a second straight graded win in the New Orleans ‘Cap (Adam Coglianese Photography)

Palace Malice, hero of
last spring’s Belmont Stakes, is
expected to be one of several notable graded winners to invade the
Crescent City for the upcoming 90th anniversary edition of the New
Orleans Handicap March 29 on Louisiana Derby Day at Fair Grounds.

The $400,000 New Orleans Handicap, contested at 1 1/8
miles, is Fair Grounds’ showcase race of the season for older horses on the main
track and is one of four Grade 2 stakes slated for Louisiana Derby Day.

Palace Malice, an four-year-old son of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, finished third in last season’s Grade
2 Risen Star over the track and
seventh in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby after suffering severe traffic problems,
but didn’t begin to exhibit much mental maturity until later in the spring when
he was runner-up by a neck in Keeneland’s Grade 1 Blue Grass. A
disappointing 12th place finish in the Kentucky Derby showed he still had some
developing to accomplish.

However, that mental maturity was completed with his
Belmont Stakes score, a second straight win in Saratoga’s Grade 2 Jim Dandy, a
fourth-place run in that oval’s Grade 1 Travers when beaten a length
for the win, and a runner-up finish in Belmont’s Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Palace Malice’s sophomore season ended with a sixth-place
finish in Santa Anita’s Breeders’ Cup Classic following another
less-than-stellar break from the gate.

Normandy Invasion romped in his return from a more than eight-month layoff last out at Gulfstream (Adam Coglianese Photography)

Normandy Invasion, who was compromised by a
slow break when sent to the post as the choice in last season’s Risen
Star, is also due for a return to the Crescent City to try to make
amends for that defeat in the upcoming New Orleans ‘Cap.

Trained by Chad Brown, Normandy Invasion bypassed last
year’s $1 million Louisiana Derby in favor of a start in Aqueduct’s Grade 1 Wood
Memorial in early April, where he finished second by three-quarters of a length
after being bumped just after the start. A subsequent start in the Kentucky
Derby, where he was once again forced to steady, resulted in a fourth-place
finish when beaten less than four lengths at the wire.

After being taken out of training following the Run for the
Roses, Normandy Invasion returned to competition at Gulfstream Park on February 22 and
galloped home 7 3/4 lengths in front of his nearest rival. The New Orleans
Handicap will be his second start of the season.

Bradester, winner of Fair Grounds’ Grade 3 Mineshaft Handicap on February 22
as the final designed prep for the New Orleans Handicap, is expected to return
for the March 29 main event, as is
Fordubai, third in the Mineshaft but winner of the January 18 Louisiana Handicap.

Revolutionary will attempt to rebound from a subpar effort in the Donn (Adam Coglianese Photography)

Finally, it should be noted that Revolutionary, hero of last spring’s Louisiana Derby, remains at this time as a
possibility for this year’s New Orleans Handicap. After his 2013 Louisiana Derby
score, Revolutionary went on to run third in the Kentucky Derby and fifth in the
Belmont Stakes in his final start of the year.

Returning to competition in a January 11 optional claiming race at Gulfstream, Revolutionary won by a half-length
but then ran seventh in Gulfstream’s Grade 1 Donn Handicap in his last start
on February 9.

However, it is wise to remember that Revolutionary is
conditioned by Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher, known in New Orleans
for winning the Louisiana Derby and New Orleans ‘Cap in back-to-back Fair
Grounds seasons with Mission Impazible in 2010-2011 and Circular Quay in 2007-2008.

When texted Wednesday with the question “Is Revolutionary
coming for the New Orleans Handicap?” the five-time Eclipse Award-winning
trainer replied with a one-word answer: “Maybe.”