If Palace Malice does return for the Louisiana Derby, jockey Rosie Napravnik will be in a tough spot. She had several live mounts at Fair Grounds on Saturday, including stakes winners Mark Valeski and Unlimited Budget, and many of those horses could run back at Fair Grounds on its stakes-laden March 30 card. However, Shanghai Bobby – whom Napravnik also rides – is also scheduled to run March 30, but in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream.
Palace Malice ran his expected high-class race in top stakes company and was beaten a half length for all of it in the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds. He was not completely focused at the break, and did not find a forward position as desired. Rosie Napravnik rode him well, although the colt showed some greenness (it was only his fourth race, and he was the only horse in the field that had not been around two turns before). She was forced to lose a little ground at the quarter pole. He switched leads very late in the stretch. It was heartening because he ran a terrific race, but disappointing because, with a few wrinkles ironed out, he could have changed the outcome. The colt received a 94 Beyer for his effort and has advanced to tenth on Steve Haskin's "Derby Dozen".
We need to wait a few days until the smoke clears and then come up with the next plan, which would certainly include the Louisiana Derby, but we want to look at other options also. He is number 18 on the list of point bearers, and I think he’ll go to the Kentucky Derby.
It is interesting that he’s still not three years old and won’t be until May 5. The jockey situation – as is always the case in the Derby buildup – is very much up in the air and we’ll need to firm that up as soon as possible.
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Keep betting into the same pools as me. Please.
If Palace Malice does return for the Louisiana Derby, jockey Rosie Napravnik will be in a tough spot. She had several live mounts at Fair Grounds on Saturday, including stakes winners Mark Valeski and Unlimited Budget, and many of those horses could run back at Fair Grounds on its stakes-laden March 30 card. However, Shanghai Bobby – whom Napravnik also rides – is also scheduled to run March 30, but in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream.
Palace Malice ran his expected high-class race in top stakes company and was beaten a half length for all of it in the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds. He was not completely focused at the break, and did not find a forward position as desired. Rosie Napravnik rode him well, although the colt showed some greenness (it was only his fourth race, and he was the only horse in the field that had not been around two turns before). She was forced to lose a little ground at the quarter pole. He switched leads very late in the stretch. It was heartening because he ran a terrific race, but disappointing because, with a few wrinkles ironed out, he could have changed the outcome. The colt received a 94 Beyer for his effort and has advanced to tenth on Steve Haskin's "Derby Dozen".
We need to wait a few days until the smoke clears and then come up with the next plan, which would certainly include the Louisiana Derby, but we want to look at other options also. He is number 18 on the list of point bearers, and I think he’ll go to the Kentucky Derby.
It is interesting that he’s still not three years old and won’t be until May 5. The jockey situation – as is always the case in the Derby buildup – is very much up in the air and we’ll need to firm that up as soon as possible.
Great outlook, in general
This from the Dogwood site.