Surface switches key factor in Palisades Stakes

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Damon’s Mound tries turf for the first time after a graded stakes-winning 2-year-old campaign on dirt. Private Creed is getting back to turf after a failed attempt at stepping on to the Kentucky Derby trail. Those are two of the main storylines as a full field of 12, plus one also-eligible, has lined up for Sunday’s $250,000 Palisades Stakes for 3-year-olds sprinting on the Keeneland turf.

Damon’s Mound stamped himself as an exciting prospect last year when he won his first two starts, including the Grade 2 Saratoga Special, by a combined 15 3/4 lengths. He completed his juvenile season by stretching out to 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs in September, and faded to sixth after dueling for the early lead.

Trainer Michelle Lovell knew Damon’s Mound would shorten up for his 3-year-old debut, and considered running him in the Lafayette Stakes for 3-year-olds on the Keeneland main track April 7. However, with that race being seven furlongs, she elected to run him in the 5 1/2-furlong Palisades, even though it would mean switching surfaces.

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“I don’t know if he’ll love it, but I can’t imagine him not getting over it,” Lovell said, noting that the colt’s dam was a multiple stakes-placed winner on turf. “I think we’ll learn something and get a decent work out of it.”

The timing also permitted Damon’s Mound to get in one more breeze off his extended break, and he fired a bullet five furlongs on April 9 at Churchill Downs.

“He’s a great workhorse, but his last work was super,” Lovell said.

Damon’s Mound has drawn the extreme outside post in the field of 12 under regular rider Gabriel Saez.

Private Creed won two stakes as a 2-year-old, including a rallying win in the Indian Summer Stakes last October at Keeneland. He then closed to be third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint there. Both of those races were at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf.

Private Creed started this year off with a head loss to Andthewinneris in the Texas Turf Mile. Although Private Creed had never raced on dirt, trainer Steve Asmussen noted his good works on the surface and ran him in the Grade 2 Risen Star at 1 1/8 miles on the main track in February at Fair Grounds. Private Creed never threatened and finished 12th.

Private Creed now moves back to turf and cuts back in distance as he reunites with Joel Rosario, who rode him in both Keeneland outings last fall. Private Creed’s closing style in sprints might work well in the Palisades, as there is plenty of speed in this race.

One of those expected to show speed is Bushido, who has never been headed while winning both his starts, both as a juvenile on the Woodbine turf, including the Ontario Racing Stakes. His connections had hoped to run him in the Juvenile Turf Sprint, but he did not make the field and was instead given an extended break.

“Hopefully, he’ll make the transition from 2 to 3 and everything will be for the good,” trainer Darwin Banach said.

Crispy Cat raced in Ireland and England last year, finishing behind the likes of Blackbeard and The Platinum Queen, both of whom went on to win Group 1 stakes. Crispy Cat’s best results last year were third-place finishes in a pair of Group 2 turf sprints. He has been forwardly placed in both his U.S. starts, including a sharp win in the Texas Glitter at five furlongs on the Gulfstream turf March 25.

Crispy Cat is trained by Jorge Delgado, who also sends out New York Thunder in the Palisades. New York Thunder is making his stakes and sophomore debut after winning both his outings last year. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 93, the top number in this field, while debuting on Gulfstream’s synthetic.

The field also includes Texas Glitter runner-up Golden Nugget; Grade 3-placed Gaslight Dancer; multiple stakes-placed No Nay Hudson; dirt stakes winner Two of a Kind; allowance/optional winner Storm Daddy; and maiden winners Chiringo and Fadethenoise. Stakes-placed Olazabal is the also-eligible.

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