Last fall, trainer Darwin Banach had Bushido ready to run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) at Keeneland, but the undefeated son of First Samurai never reached the starting gate. 

“He had worked at Woodbine and we knew he might not get in (off the Breeders’ Cup preference list for the race),” Banach said. “There was another race at Aqueduct we were looking at, and we had to commit. The owners (Bushido Syndicate) wanted to give the Breeders’ Cup a shot.” 

Instead of giving Banach his first Breeders’ Cup starter, Bushido received the winter off at breeder Suzi Shoemaker’s Lantern Hill Farm near Lexington before rejoining Banach in Ocala, Florida, a couple months ago. 

“Hopefully, he’ll make the transition from 2 to 3 and everything will be for the good,” Banach said of Bushido, who is entered in Sunday’s 17^th running of the $250,000 Palisades (L) going 5½ furlongs on the turf. 

Bushido never has been headed in his two starts, both 5-furlong turf sprints at Woodbine with the latter coming in the Ontario Racing Stakes (L). Bushido worked a half-mile over the Keeneland turf course that was listed as good in :50.80 on April 8, the fourth-fastest of 13 at the distance that morning. 

“Luis (Saez) worked him and said he was good to go,” Banach said.