Palace Malice tops 10-horse Jim Dandy

After fading to 12th in the Kentucky Derby, Palace Malice turned his fortunes

around in the Belmont Stakes, recording a convincing 3 1/4-length victory, and

the bay son of Curlin enters the second half of the season as one of the premier

three-year-olds in training. He will look to confirm that status when he returns

to action in Saturday's Grade 2, $600,000

Jim Dandy

at Saratoga.

The Todd Pletcher-trained colt faces nine challengers in the 1 1/8-mile event

and Hall of Famer Mike Smith retains the mount.

An impressive 3 1/2-length maiden winner at Saratoga last summer, Palace

Malice turned in a couple of strong showings earlier this year, finishing a neck

second in the Blue Grass Stakes and a half-length third in the Risen Star, but

entered the 1 1/2-mile Belmont with only a maiden win to his credit and was

overlooked at 13-1. He left both Derby winner Orb and Preakness hero Oxbow in

his wake, scoring convincingly in front-running fashion, and figures to be up

close to the pace Saturday with his tactical speed.

Mylute skipped the Belmont following respectable efforts in the first two

legs of the Triple Crown, rallying for fifth in the Derby and third in the

Preakness. A confirmed late runner for Tom Amoss, the gray colt just missed when

recording a neck second in the Louisiana Derby and has posted BRIS Speed ratings

of 105-107-110 in his last three respective starts. Rosie Napravnik guides the

son of Midnight Lute.

Will Take Charge is another Triple Crown veteran. He posted unplaced finishes

in all three classic races, but the well-bred chestnut displayed nice class when

capturing the Rebel and Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park earlier this year and

remains a candidate to run well here for D. Wayne Lukas. Junior Alvarado takes

over the reins. Code West enters on the upswing for Bob Baffert, registering a 6

3/4-length allowance tally prior to a head win in the Grade 3 Matt Winn on June

15, and the late-blooming colt will pick up the services of Joel Rosario.

Other contenders include Moreno, a seven-length winner of the July 6 Dwyer at

Belmont Park; Freedom Child, who romped by 13 lengths in the Peter Pan two

starts back; and Looking Cool and Bashaar, the respective first- and third-place

finishers from the recent Iowa Derby.

On paper, Perfect Title will be the least accomplished horse in the starting gate, but that is of little concern to trainer Dallas Stewart.

The colt will be making his stakes debut following an eye-catching allowance

victory over older horses at Churchill Downs.

"Did y'all see his last race?" Stewart said when asked about his

colt's chances. "I know we're

trying the big time here, but he's bred for it. He won as easy as a horse can

win going a mile and an eighth. I was like, 'You know what? Why not.' I'm

telling you, this son of a (gun) can run."

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com