Hillsborough

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A field of 11 has been entered to contest about 1 1/8 miles over Tampa Bay Downs’
turf on Saturday in the $175,000 Hillsborough S. (G3). BACKSEAT RHYTHM (El Corredor) has been knocking heads, and holding her own, against some classy
rivals in the past and appears a step above these. The bay four-year-old
captured the Lake Placid S. (G2) and Garden City S. (G1) last year, earning 101
BRIS Speed ratings in each of those, and rounded out 2008 with a second and 100
Speed figure in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1). The Pat Reynolds
charge opened this season with a third in the The Very One S. (G3), probably
needing that one off the four-month break, and appears ready to get back to the
winner’s circle here. Eibar Coa has the return call.

ELUSIVE LADY (Van Nistelrooy) doesn’t own quite the same success as our top
pick, having recorded her last win in the 2007 Tempted S. (G3) on the dirt at
Aqueduct, but has shown much more recently while making her first attempts on
grass. Last out, she just missed by a neck after dueling in the Endeavour S.
(G3), and also filled the runner-up spot prior to that one in the Sunshine
Millions Filly & Mare Turf. Trained by John Kimmel, the gray miss could finally
break through with a first grass victory and will keep Joe Bravo in the irons.

COMMUNIQUE (Smart Strike) won two Grade 3s last year, but her most impressive
effort came as a closing second in the Beverly D. S. (G1). The bay mare garnered
a career-best 105 Speed rating for that effort and more than proved her ability
to handle this field after tackling those world-class rivals. She didn’t show
much when closing out her four-year-old campaign with a sixth in the La
Prevoyante H. (G2), but could make her seasonal debut a winning one under James
Lopez.

BALLYMORE LADY (War Chant) captured the Endeavour over Elusive Lady and is
two-for-two on Tampa’s grass so far. The six-year-old mare is a win threat, but
we’d prefer to limit her to the lower rungs of the exotics at this distance. DROP
A LINE (Lemon Drop Kid) made her graded bow in the Suwannee River S. (G3) last
out, finishing third after steadying around the first turn, and could progress
enough here to challenge in the top three.

MUSHKA (Empire Maker) was hyped as a juvenile following her win in the
Demoiselle S. (G2), but never could live up to those lofty expectations last
year. She’s already shown much more this season, just missing by a head in the
Suwannee River after leading for a brief time in the stretch of that 1 1/8-mile
test, and could have a shot in the gimmicks here as well. WAQUOIT’S LOVE (Not
for Love) has done her best work at slightly shorter distances, but could still
earn a share based on current form.

ABSOLUTELY CINDY (Arch) hasn’t won in a year and probably won’t factor in this one.
Neither FIRST ASCENT (Cherokee Run) nor RUSSIAN ROSIE (Ire) (Traditionally) appear
fast enough to keep up with these. JAUNTY GALE (Tiger Ridge) looks out of her
class.