Palace Malice, Tonalist clash in Westchester

Palace Malice is looking to become the first back-to-back winner of the Westchester in 10 years (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography) While the racing world’s attention will be focused on Churchill Downs Saturday, an intriguing showdown between the past two winners of the Belmont S. (G1) highlights the racing action at Belmont Park. Palace Malice (Curlin), who many considered the leading dirt-based older horse last season, and the four-year-old Tonalist (Tapit), who also captured the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) last term, are among five in the $150,000 Westchester (G3), a one-mile prep for the course-and-distance Metropolitan H. (G1) on June 6. Palace Malice counted the Westchester among his four stakes wins last year, a list that also included the Met Mile, New Orleans H. (G2), and Gulfstream Park H. (G1). However, he exited a sixth-place finish in the Whitney (G1) with an injury, was retired and then un-retired by co-owner Cot Campbell.

Tonalist, who missed the early legs of the 2014 Triple Crown, hopped into the
Belmont after a score in the Peter Pan (G2) and won the 1 1/2-mile classic by a
head. Second in the Jim Dandy (G2) and third in the Travers (G1), he rebounded
to take the Jockey Club Gold Cup, but could only be fifth in the Breeders’ Cup
Classic (G1) after trailing the field of 14 early. After not wearing them in his
last two starts, Tonalist will have blinkers on for the Westchester.

With their primary riders in Louisville, Palace Malice will have Edgar Prado
in the saddle and Tonalist will be ridden by Joe Bravo.

Hoping to spring the upset are multiple Grade 3-placed Confrontation (War
Pass) and allowance scorers Juba (Tapit) and Souper Lucky (Giant’s Causeway).

The $150,000
Fort Marcy
(G3), a nine-furlong inner turf test for older horses, features multiple
Grade 1 veteran Big Blue Kitten (Kitten’s Joy), runner-up in the Red Smith H.
(G3) and Canadian International (Can-G1) last fall.

Big Blue Kitten’s entrymate, Hyper (Victory Gallop), makes his first start
since November 2013. He won that year’s Bowling Green H. (G2) and was second in
the Canadian International.

Other notables in a quality lineup are last year’s Travers (G1) winner V. E.
Day (English Channel); 2014 Belmont Derby (G1) hero Mr Speaker (Pulpit), fourth
in a Keeneland allowance over soft ground in his season debut; and multiple
Grade winner Divine Oath (Broken Vow).

The first stakes of the afternoon is the $200,000

Sheepshead Bay (G2) for fillies on mares going 11 furlongs on the inner
turf. Riposte (Dansili), who won the Sheepshead Bay and New York (G2) last
season, defends her title against Beauty Parlor (Elusive Quality), who beat
Riposte and seven others in the March 28 Orchid (G3) at Gulfstream Park in her
U.S. debut.

Also in the field of five is 2014 Ashland (G1) winner Rosalind (Broken Vow),
who placed in the Suwannee River (G3) on grass two back.

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