Bushido Among Comebacking Turf Sprinters in Palisades

The winter is a time when many turf horses are freshened, as grass opportunities are more plentiful from spring to fall.

And so it is that six of the 12 3-year-olds in the body of the field for the April 16 Palisades Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on the Keeneland turf return from racing inactivity, including stakes-established grass horses Bushido, Gaslight Dancer, and No Nay Hudson.

Even an accomplished dirt sprinter from last year, Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) winner Damon's Mound, returns to action in the $250,000 Palisades.

While Michele and Cliff Love's Damon's Mound, a son of Girvin  trained by Michelle Lovell, is an uncertainty on turf, Bushido is not, having won each of his two starts on grass over five furlongs last year in Canada at Woodbine. The Darwin Banach trainee scored first out by 5 1/4 lengths against maidens Sept. 4 before repeating by 2 3/4 lengths in the Ontario Racing Stakes Oct. 8, never trailing in either spot.

Luis Saez picks up the ride on the son of First Samurai  for his owner, Bushido Syndicate.

Two entrants in Sunday's Palisades competed in the Breeders' Cup last fall at Keeneland, with Gaslight Dancer running sixth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) and Private Creed third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T).

Private Creed is back in a turf sprint after two defeats this year in routes, one on turf and another on dirt.

Entries: Palisades S.

Keeneland, Sunday, April 16, 2023, Race 7

• STK
• 5 1/2f
• Turf
• $250,000
• 3 yo
• 4:12 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Two of a Kind (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	118	Brian A. Lynch	20/1
2	2Chiringo (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	George Weaver	20/1
3	3Fadethenoise (KY)	Lanfranco Dettori	118	Michael J. Maker	20/1
4	4Crispy Cat (GB)	Paco Lopez	123	Jorge Delgado	8/1
5	5Gaslight Dancer (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Michael J. Maker	8/1
6	6Private Creed (KY)	Joel Rosario	123	Steven M. Asmussen	4/1
7	7Bushido (KY)	Luis Saez	123	Darwin D. Banach	5/1
8	8No Nay Hudson (IRE)	John R. Velazquez	118	Wesley A. Ward	9/2
9	9Storm Daddy (KY)	Malcolm Franklin	118	Michelle L. Elliott	30/1
10	10Golden Nugget (KY)	Flavien Prat	118	Brendan P. Walsh	12/1
11	11New York Thunder (KY)	Jose E. Morelos	118	Jorge Delgado	8/1
12	12Damon's Mound (FL)	Gabriel Saez	118	Michelle Lovell	6/1
13	13Olazabal (KY)	Florent Geroux	118	Eric N. Foster	8/1