{"id":795,"date":"2014-08-31T13:39:57","date_gmt":"2014-08-31T13:39:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.linda-rice.com\/?p=795"},"modified":"2014-08-31T13:40:51","modified_gmt":"2014-08-31T13:40:51","slug":"palace-rewards-rices-confidence-with-g1-forego-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/lindarice.com\/index.php\/palace-rewards-rices-confidence-with-g1-forego-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Palace rewards Rice’s confidence with G1 Forego win"},"content":{"rendered":"
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PHOTO\/ADAM COGLIANESE<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u00a0By\u00a0Jon Forbes<\/strong><\/div>\n
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Palace erased any doubt about his ability to excel at seven furlongs by rallying along the rail to win the Grade 1, $500,000 Forego for 3-year-olds and up on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Looking to double his Grade 1 tally after taking the six-furlong Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap earlier in the meet, Palace raced in third early, intently tracking a pace of 22.48 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 45.23 for the half set by long shot Zee Bros.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
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Zee Bros drifted out at the top of the stretch, and Palace surged through the opening and quickly took command, driving clear under Cornelio Velasquez to prevail by 3 \u00bd lengths. Big Business completed the all New York-bred exacta by running on from fifth to finish second, a neck ahead of third-place finisher Vyjack.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Palace completed the distance in 1:21.95 and returned $10.60 for a $2 win wager as the 9-2 second choice.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
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“I wanted to break good and stay in good position behind the speed,” said Velasquez. “I had a lot of horse. When the opening came, I was in good position. I think my horse is the best sprinting horse now.”<\/span><\/div>\n
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Capo Bastone, Sensational Slam, Weekend Hideaway, Zee Bros, favored Clearly Now, and Confrontation completed the order of finish.<\/span><\/div>\n
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In the days leading up to the Forego, Rice was uncertain whether she’d run Palace or wait for the Grade 1, six-furlong Vosburgh Invitational on September 27 at Belmont.<\/span><\/div>\n
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“[Palace] is a really talented horse, and when he is good I need to use him because on several occasions I’ve needed to stop on him, turn him out, and give him a break,” Rice said of the decision to run the 5-year-old son of City Zip in the Forego. “When a horse is doing as well as he is, I don’t know how long I can keep him that good.”<\/span><\/div>\n
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The Forego was Palace’s first start at seven furlongs since finishing fourth in the Grade 3 General George Handicap in February at Laurel Park. Following the General George, he won the Grade 2, six-furlong True North by three-quarters of a length in June at Belmont, was second by 6 \u00bc lengths to Clearly Now in Belmont’s Grade 3, seven-furlong Belmont Sprint Championship in July, and got up by one length in the Vanderbilt on August 2 at the Spa.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Rice said Palace will target the $400,000 Vosburgh at Belmont. During the 2012 Belmont fall meet, Rice and owner Antonino Miuccio claimed Palace for $20,000 out of an 11 \u00be-length maiden victory.<\/span><\/div>\n
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“He’s such a special horse, and Mr. Miuccio has allowed me to stop on him, turn him out, and give him a break whenever he needs it, and it’s obviously paid off,” said Rice.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Overall, Palace is 11-5-2 in 21 starts. He has earned $1,309,550, including $300,000 for his Forego triumph.<\/span><\/div>\n