Stallwalkin’ Dude outduels Clearly Now in Diablo; Palace Malice third

Stallwalkin’ Dude outduels Clearly Now in Diablo; Palace
Malice third

Stallwalkin’ Dude (right) was all heart on the front end, while Palace Malice (third) likely got what he needed to blow off the cobwebs for the Met Mile (NYRA/Coglianese Photography/Chelsea Durand) The six furlongs of Sunday’s $98,000 Diablo S. appeared to be on the sharp side for multiple Grade 1 comebacker Palace Malice (Curlin), who offered a mild rally for third in a useful tightener for his title defense in the June 6 Met Mile (G1). Victory went to owner/trainer David Jacobson’s Stallwalkin’ Dude (City Place), after a protracted stretch duel with Clearly Now (Horse Greeley). Palace Malice was bet down to 4-5 favoritism, despite the fact that the 2013 Belmont S. (G1) hero was making his first start back since last August, and in a spot that represented Plan B. The Todd Pletcher trainee was originally entered for a title defense in the May 2 Westchester (G3) over a mile, but scratched because of a bruise to his right front hoof. Connections called an audible in the six-furlong Diablo, to get a race in ahead of the Met Mile. While Palace Malice was unhurried at the back of the compact group early, the 9-2 Stallwalkin’ Dude established control through an opening quarter in :22 3/5 on the fast track. Clearly Now ranged alongside to challenge rounding the far turn, and the match was on through a half in :45 3/5. Palace Malice began to improve his position on the outside, but not enough to threaten.

Clearly Now headed Stallwalkin’ Dude in the stretch, clocking :57 1/5 for
five furlongs. Yet Stallwalkin’ Dude wasn’t done. Fighting back on the inside
beneath Angel Cruz, the bay gelding thrust his neck in front at the wire in a
final time of 1:09 2/5 and paid $11.

“He always responds in the end, and fights to the end and doesn’t quit,” Cruz
said. “When I hit him left (handed) he keeps going. In his last race when I hit
him left (handed) he just went on to win. This time, I switched to the left
(hand) and he just kept running and fought to the end. He’s always a fighter and
never quits.”

“He’s unbelievable,” Jacobson marveled. “He’s really proven himself to be a
legitimate horse to be reckoned with coming into the spring and summer at
Saratoga. I was expecting a much easier field, when you have Palace Malice and
Clearly Now, this race really deserved a (grade) next to it.”

Palace Malice checked in a further 3 1/4 lengths adrift in third in the
five-horse field. There were three scratches — multiple Grade 1-winning
sprinter Palace (City Zip); Tenango (Lion Heart), who ran fourth in Saturday’s
Decathlon at Monmouth; and the winner’s entrymate, Classic Salsa (Two Step
Salsa).

Pletcher indicated that the Diablo may have served its purpose for Palace
Malice.

“It was what we were expecting — he got outfooted early and seemed to close
pretty well,” Pletcher said. “He galloped out well, so hopefully we got what we
needed out of him. We knew it wasn’t ideal coming in, but the options we had
were limited. Hopefully it moves him forward.”

Stallwalkin’ Dude’s first stakes credit improved his line to 27-11-1-3,
$370,352. Claimed for $16,000 at Gulfstream Park last September, the
five-year-old has now won four straight for Jacobson.

Bred by Maria M. Haire in Florida, Stallwalkin’ Dude is out of the unraced
Chelle Spendabuck (Dare and Go), herself a half-sister to Grade 1-winning stakes
producer Love Lock (Silver Ghost).

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