Campbell’s Big Bet Still Looking Good

In April, Dogwood Stable’s Cot Campbell placed a wager through William Hill on his outfit’s charge Palace Malice (Curlin) taking 2014 Horse of the Year honors. The 12-1 he got at the time looks like a savvy investment so far, as the bay added to his GII Gulfstream Park H. and GII New Orleans H. victories with a smashing success in the GIII Westchester S. May 11 and a comprehensive tally in a strong renewal of the GI Metropolitan H. June 7. Last year’s 
GI Belmont S. hero already rests atop the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll, and he could further solidify his number one spot if he can keep his winning streak going in a loaded renewal of the $1.5 million GI Whitney H.–a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic–at Saratoga Saturday. 
    “He’s very sharp,” Campbell said of Palace Malice yesterday during an NTRA “Road to the Breeders’ Cup” teleconference. “He’s a little edgy–almost like a fighter who’s getting ready to fight. He’s a little feisty now. If you walk up to him, you better have a peppermint in your hand.” 
    Campbell, who campaigns the Todd Pletcher trainee along with five partners, noted that Palace Malice’s 2014 season will also include the GI Woodward S. Aug. 30, the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup Sept. 27 and the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 1 should all go according to plan Saturday. 
    Longer term goals, however, are still very much up in the air. Campbell said that while he has received a number of inquiries regarding breeding rights for Palace Malice, he and his partners have not yet decided whether or not the handsome bay will compete again next year at age five. 
    “In our case, we’re racing people, but we don’t want to be stupid either,” Campbell offered. “Many farms have called about the horse, and I’ve said, ‘Let’s wait until this fall–see where we are and see how his level of enthusiasm is and what we’ve accomplished at Saratoga.’ I think there have been 10 farms–we’ll make a point to talk to each and see what we’re going to do. That’s the way we’ve left it. The scenarios are that we could retire him this fall or we could do another year. We’ll have to figure that out as we go along.” 
    He added, “Like a lot of people, our clients didn’t buy shares in this horse to try to make a profit. They would love to do it, and they are going to do it, but they love the excitement of racing. You can’t buy that. You absolutely cannot buy running in these big races. It just has to come to you. It’s a fabulous lifetime experience, and we have to weigh whether we want to have that experience again, or whether we want to cash in and get the dough.” 
    Dogwood partners have had many of those priceless experiences with the help of Todd Pletcher-trained stand-outs such as Cotton Blossom, Trippi and Limehouse. Campbell was one of the first owners to employ the future six-time Eclipse Award winner when he first went out on his own after working as an assistant for Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas. 
    “When Todd was with Lukas, I would see him up here [in Saratoga] scurrying around on the backside and always going about his business,” recalled Campbell. “They were winning a lot of races and clearly he was the guy in charge of the division at that time. When he went out on his own in late 1995, he told me just in a matter-of-fact way that he was out on his own. I said, ‘Good, good luck.’ Then, early in 1996, I did send him a few horses. I think he had maybe seven or eight horses when I sent him four or five. And I think Todd has always been very grateful for that. So we go back 
17 or 18 years, and it’s been a marvelous relationship. I could go on for a half hour with all his great attributes.” 
    If Palace Malice lives up to the hype Saturday, Campbell will certainly have more nice things to say about Pletcher, and 12-1 will be looking even better.