Breeders' Cup winner Bulletin ending layoff in Palisades Turf Sprint

WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and SF Racing’s Bulletin, winner of last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs, will make his 2019 debut Thursday when he headlines a field of 14 and two also-eligibles for the inaugural running of the $100,000 Palisades Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds.

The 5½-furlong grass test will serve as the opening-day feature of the 16-day Spring Meet, which runs through April 26. First post time Thursday is 3 p.m. ET with the Palisades scheduled as the seventh race with a 6:18 p.m. post time.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Bulletin is undefeated in two starts, winning the Hollywood Beach at Gulfstream going 5 furlongs in his debut last September. Javier Castellano, who was aboard for the Breeders’ Cup victory, has the mount and will break from post position 12.

Hat Creek Racing’s Chelsea Cloisters, who finished second, beaten 2¾ lengths by Bulletin, in the Breeders’ Cup, will challenge the boys again Thursday. Trained by Wesley Ward, Chelsea Cloisters will break from post position 13 and be ridden by Albin Jimenez in her 2019 debut.

Also making his 2019 debut in the Palisades is John Oxley’s Strike Silver. Winner of the Indian Summer here last fall, Strike Silver endured a troubled trip in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and finished seventh behind Bulletin.

Trained by Mark Casse, Strike Silver will be ridden by Julien Leparoux and break from post position 11.

The field for the Palisades Turf Sprint, with riders and weights, from the inside is: Yes I Am Free (Tyler Gaffalione, 118 pounds), Vivid Verse (Adam Beschizza, 118), Tobacco Road (Corey Lanerie, 118), Joyful Heart (Luis Saez, 118), Vogt (Florent Geroux, 118), Real News (Joel Rosario, 118), Hawaiian Noises (Luan Machado, 118), Gladiator King (Leonel Reyes, 118), Abyssinian (John Velazquez, 118), Mick’s Star(Brian Hernandez Jr., 118), Strike Silver (Leparoux, 118), Bulletin (Castellano, 123), Chelsea Cloisters (Jimenez, 118) and Dom Carlos (IRE)(Jose Ortiz, 118). Also-eligible: Uncapped (Gaffalione, 118) and Front Office (Robby Albarado 118).