Paul Pompa Jr.’s BACKSEAT RHYTHM (El Corredor) had taken a backseat to other
rivals in her four prior graded stakes attempts, but in Friday’s $150,000
Lake
Placid S. (G2) at Saratoga, the bay sophomore produced a stirring late
charge to win in emphatic style. Trained by Patrick Reynolds and ridden by
Javier Castellano, Backseat Rhythm finished 1 1/8 miles on the yielding inner
turf in 1:50 3/5. The 6-1 shot returned $14.40, $6.80 and $5.30 while starting
the $180 exacta, $1,015 trifecta and $4,529 superfecta (6-2-8-4).
In the opening stages, Encanto Park (Exchange Rate) led the way through
splits of :23 3/5, :49 1/5 and 1:12 4/5. Raw Silk (Malibu Moon) tracked in
second, with Much Obliged (Kingmambo), Zaskar (GB) (Anabaa) and Namaste’s Wish
(Pulpit) also prominent. At the tail of the field were Backseat Rhythm, who was
fractious prior to stumbling at the start, and English shipper Rosa Grace (GB) (Lomitas
[GB]).
That picture changed considerably turning for home. Raw Silk accosted the
pacesetter and grabbed the lead, but the deep closers were just beginning to get
involved at the top of the stretch As Backseat Rhythm made progress on the far
outside, Rosa Grace threatened between horses. In a few strides, however,
Backseat Rhythm settled the issue, rapidly taking command to garner her first
career stakes victory by an impressive 3 1/4 lengths.
“No question, she was better coming from off the pace,” Castellano said. “She
can go to the lead, but there was a lot of speed, and I took advantage. I rode
with a lot of patience. At one point I had to go around a horse and I saw
everybody start backing up. I lost a lot of ground on the far turn, but I
thought it was the best way for her, letting her make one big, strong move.”
“Being that far out of it and going 10-wide on the turn is never a good
thing,” Reynolds countered. “Neither is running into a slow pace. But the good
ones overcome everything.”
Rosa Grace was herself 1 1/4 lengths clear in the runner-up spot, giving back
$11.40 and $6.70 at a generous 12-1. Raw Silk, the 9-2 third choice, held third
to pay $5. Namaste’s Wish reported home fourth, followed by nearly 5-2 favorite
I Lost My Choo (Western Expression). Next came Encanto Park, Zaskar and Much
Obliged.
Backseat Rhythm’s record now reads 11-3-1-3, $457,195. A $75,000 yearling
purchase at Keeneland September, she RNA’ed for $240,000 as a Barretts March
two-year-old. She showed versatility as a juvenile, capturing an unusually deep
maiden special weight event on the turf before placing second in the Frizette S.
(G1) and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Backseat Rhythm
returned to the grass two starts back, when she wired an entry-level allowance
field at Belmont, and was most recently seventh in the American Oaks
Invitational (G1).
Bred in Kentucky by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm and Spast Farm, the winner is the
first foal from Grade 3-placed Kiss a Miss (Kissin Kris), who is also
responsible for an unraced juvenile colt named Barney Bass and an unnamed
yearling filly, both by Vindication. This is the family of Grade 3 victor Native
Regent (Vice Regent).
Reynolds mentioned that the October 11 Queen Elizabeth II Invitational
Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland “sounds very tempting.”