Steve Haskin comments on Palace Malice
DiscreetCat
Moderator
from this week's "Derby Dozen" article:
Knocking At The Door
No one has ever said racing was fair, and that was never more evident while watching poor PALACE MALICE trapped helplessly behind two speed horses who were going nowhere, while Edgar Prado was pulling back and throttling down a horse who looked ready to bust the Louisiana Derby wide open from the three-eighths pole to the quarter pole. Then it went from bad to worse after Prado took him out looking for running room. He still looked like the winner if only he could make it to and through a hole that be was beginning to open. But just as he was about to go for it, Code West came in and bumped him soundly, knocking him right back where he was, behind horses going nowhere. He in turn knocked into SUNBEAN, who was trying to sneak through on the inside, forcing him into the rail. Palace Malice now was a beaten horse with absolutely nowhere to run. Prado did see a slight opening on the rail and went for it, hoping maybe to pick up a little piece of it late, but that also closed up, and he was forced to come back out. Still stuck in traffic, he just went through the motions after that, finishing seventh, beaten 7 1/4 lengths.
The more I watch the race and see the how well Palace Malice was moving on the far turn without being asked, the more Im convinced he would have won, possibly convincingly, had he been able to continue his run. And I believe he still would have won had he made it to and through that opening at the three-sixteenths pole. But it wasnt meant to be, and now comes the decision, do you wheel him back in two weeks and hope he can Polytrack his way into the Derby? Thats not Pletchers style, but Cot Campbell has to be tempted to give it a try. The horse certainly deserves the chance if he's up to the quick turnaround.
Knocking At The Door
No one has ever said racing was fair, and that was never more evident while watching poor PALACE MALICE trapped helplessly behind two speed horses who were going nowhere, while Edgar Prado was pulling back and throttling down a horse who looked ready to bust the Louisiana Derby wide open from the three-eighths pole to the quarter pole. Then it went from bad to worse after Prado took him out looking for running room. He still looked like the winner if only he could make it to and through a hole that be was beginning to open. But just as he was about to go for it, Code West came in and bumped him soundly, knocking him right back where he was, behind horses going nowhere. He in turn knocked into SUNBEAN, who was trying to sneak through on the inside, forcing him into the rail. Palace Malice now was a beaten horse with absolutely nowhere to run. Prado did see a slight opening on the rail and went for it, hoping maybe to pick up a little piece of it late, but that also closed up, and he was forced to come back out. Still stuck in traffic, he just went through the motions after that, finishing seventh, beaten 7 1/4 lengths.
The more I watch the race and see the how well Palace Malice was moving on the far turn without being asked, the more Im convinced he would have won, possibly convincingly, had he been able to continue his run. And I believe he still would have won had he made it to and through that opening at the three-sixteenths pole. But it wasnt meant to be, and now comes the decision, do you wheel him back in two weeks and hope he can Polytrack his way into the Derby? Thats not Pletchers style, but Cot Campbell has to be tempted to give it a try. The horse certainly deserves the chance if he's up to the quick turnaround.
Comments
You don't say. Makes me sick.