2013 Belmont S. (G1) hero Palace Malice seems all set to make his 2014 debut for conditioner Todd Pletcher in the $250,000 Gulfstream Park H. (G2)), the feature on Saturday. The four-year-old son of Curlin has been training for a while leading up to this, and while the trip might be short of his best, this seems like a nice starting point to the season.
Group 1 winner Brujo de Olleros, who placed in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), was a closing third in a sprint here in advance of this and could be a lot stronger for this endeavor. The Team Valor color bearer shows a pair of solid drills of late and will be running on in the lane. 2013 Preakness S. (G1) runner-up Itsmyluckyday has been off since being pulled up in the Pegasus S. (G3) at June, and the four-year-old is a multiple stakes winner on this oval. Trained by Edie Plesa, the son of Lawyer Ron seems to have landed at a nice trip on an oval he loves, and we’re hoping he returns to his sophomore form. Multiple Grade 1-placed miler Golden Ticket, fine local allowance victor Pick of the Litter and possibly Romansh, who never fired in the Donn H. (G1), also look like contenders in a very good renewal of this event.