Retirement has Palace Malice drop in top 10

By: SPORTS NETWORK

New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Former top ranked thoroughbred Palace Malice suffered a major drop in the rankings this week following his retirement from racing.

The 4-year-old colt, owned by Dogwood Stable and trained by Todd Pletcher, was retired after sustaining an injury in the Whitney Handicap last month at Saratoga when finishing sixth. A deep bone bruise in his left hind leg was revealed after an examination at Rood & Riddle Veterinary Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky.

"This situation causes us to address retiring Palace Malice, although Dr. Larry Bramlage's prognosis states that the horse should race to his true potential as a five-year-old, after sufficient time for healing this problem," Dogwood president Cot Campbell said lat Friday.

"After winning four straight graded stakes, including the Grade I Metropolitan Mile, Palace Malice ran a uncharacteristic race in the Whitney on August 2, and worked several times in a lackluster manner following that race. When no apparent reason for that emerged, we flew him to Kentucky on September 2 and the examination revealed the reason for this change in form."

Palace Malice dropped from fifth to eighth in the NTRA Thoroughbred Poll with one first-place vote and 92 points.

Two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan remains first in the voting with 25 top votes and 351 points. The 7-year-old gelding won the Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga on Aug. 30 in his return start from colic surgery on May 16.

Eclipse Award winner Shared Belief, winner of the Pacific Classic, received five first-place votes and 310 points for second followed by California Chrome (5, 293 and Close Hatches (1, 252).

Gaining a spot in the rankings from six to five is 4-year-old colt Itsmyluckyday, winner of the Woodward on Aug. 30, Trained by Eddie Plesa, the colt received 143 points followed by Wicked Strong (95) and Moreno (94).

Top 3-year-old filly Untapable is ninth with 83 points and Goldencents, winner of Del Mar's Pat O'Brien Stakes, is back in the top 10 with 45 points.

The National Poll continues through the Breeders' Cup on Nov. 1.