Moreno, Palace Malice well following Whitney, could rematch in Woodward

Moreno was uncatchable in Saturday’s Whitney (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography)

Whitney hero Moreno was sprightly
Sunday morning, bouncing around in his stall a day after taking the field gate-to-wire in one of the most prestigious races of the
Saratoga meet.

Moreno’s landmark victory was a long time in the making. It
took the Eric Guillot-trained gelding 10 starts to break his maiden, which he
did over a muddy track on June 8, 2013, at Belmont Park. He followed up that performance with a
seven-length win in the Dwyer at Big Sandy, but failed to find the winner’s
circle in eight starts thereafter while placing in the Jim Dandy, Travers,
Pennsylvania Derby, Charles Town Classic and Suburban Handicap.

Despite the string of winless efforts, Guillot, who trains
Moreno for breeder Southern Equine Stable, was not surprised by his star pupil’s
breakthrough victory in the 1 1/8-mile race.

“We finally got the fractions we needed,” Guillot explained. “I
don’t think this was a new peak for him. He was already at his peak.”

Palace Malice is being given a thorough checkup following his subpar run in the Whitney (Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos)

While Moreno might face Wise Dan in the Woodward, it is almost certain he’ll
have to take on Palace Malice again in that contest.

Though still mystified following Palace Malice’s
disappointing effort as the 3-5 favorite in the Whitney, trainer
Todd Pletcher said Sunday morning the Woodward would remain
a target for the multiple Grade 1 winner.

Unbeaten in four 2014 starts to become a clear leader of
the older horse division, the four-year-old son of Curlin finished sixth in the
nine-horse Whitney, beaten 11 lengths by Moreno.

“It is a head-scratcher,” Pletcher admitted. “Everything we’ve
seen so far indicates that he came out of it well. He cooled out sound, he
scoped clean, he ate up last night, his temperature is normal and he’s sound
this morning. We’ll pull some bloodwork on him later in the week and see if that
reveals anything. If that doesn’t, I don’t know what to do other than regroup
and start training again.”

Three of Palace Malice’s four races this year had come at
one mile, and he also won the New Orleans Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on
March 29. He loomed a threat rounding the far turn under jockey John Velazquez
but never got into contention as front-running Moreno pulled clear of the field
in the stretch.

“We thought we would come away in a stalking-type position
and we got to that point, but at the same time, as I was
watching the race unfold, I never felt like he was taking Johnny anywhere,”
Pletcher explained. “At the
top of the stretch when they snuck away, it was pretty obvious at that point (he
wasn’t going to win). I still felt like in the middle of the turn he started to
make a little bit of an impact.”

The Whitney marked the biggest margin of defeat for Palace
Malice since he was 12th, beaten 13 1/2 lengths, in the 2013 Kentucky Derby. He
came back a month later to capture the Belmont Stakes at 1 1/2 miles.