Expanding the Empire

After sweeping Saratoga’s Grade I sprinting events this summer, Antonino Miuccio’s Palace (City Zip) looks to punch his (second) ticket to the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint via Belmont’s “Win and You’re In” GI Vosburgh Invitational. Claimed by these connections for a mere $20,000 back in October 2012, Palace has continued to thrive under Linda Rice’s tutelage. The New York-bred returned from a freshening with a win in Belmont’s GII True North S. June 6, then was a distant second behind the very impressive Clearly Now (Horse Greeley) in the GIII Belmont Sprint Championship S. July 5. Palace has been perfect since, annexing the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. Aug. 2 and the “Win and You’re In” GI Forego S. Aug. 30, both at the Spa, respectively. 

“Unlike the Vanderbilt where the favorite was the lone speed, there is other speed in the [Vosburgh],” Rice said. “Sometimes, there is a lot of speed [on paper] and nobody goes. We’ll have to see how it unfolds. The No. 1 hole can make anybody nervous, but he has won from the No. 1 hole before.” 

The speedy Happy My Way (Wilko), very carefully spotted while posting a record of 5-3-2-0 in 2014, had a three-race winning streak snapped when a game second to Palace in the Vanderbilt. The GIII Maryland Sprint H. hero fired a five-furlong warning shot in :58 2/5 at Belmont Sept. 18. 

“Going into the [Vanderbilt], I had given him a little break,” trainer Joe Orseno commented. “If he was going to be a Breeders’ Cup horse, he was going to need a break at some point. I chose to do it then. He now has a race under his belt, and he’ll be a lot more ready.” 

Defending Vosburgh winner Private Zone (Macho Uno) makes his first start for trainer Alfredo Velazquez. A game second at 32-1 in the GI Cigar Mile H. Nov. 30, the bay has only made one start this term, a fourth-place finish in the GIII Turf Monster H. at Parx Sept. 1. 

The stretch-running Coup de Grace (Tapit), winner of the GII Amsterdam S. July 26, takes on his elders following a close third as the 2-1 favorite in the GI King’s Bishop S. Aug. 23.