Chelsea Durand Photo

Backsideofthemoon gets his nose down on the wire for Jazil win

by Heather Pettinger

Lake Lonely Racing's Backsideofthemoon ran down the favored Doyouknowsomething in the final jump to earn his first stakes victory in the $100,000 Jazil on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Doyouknowsomething, sent off as the 4-5 favorite, was joined on the front end by Turco Bravo, and the pair duked out the opening quarter-mile in 24 seconds and the half in 47.75. They were followed closely in the compact field of four by Harlan Punch and Backsideofthemoon, ridden by Kendrick Carmouche.

Backsideofthemoon remained unhurried under Carmouche while Harlan Punch made a three-wide bid in the far turn. As the field turned for home, Doyouknowsomething managed to shake clear of his challengers but he wasn't able to get away from Backsideofthemoon, who found running room along the inside and won the bob at the wire, completing the 1 1/8-mile route in 1:49.94. 

Turco Bravo reengaged in the final sixteenth with a late surge to finish third, a half-length behind the winner. Harlan Punch was fourth. Unbridled Daddy and Clowney were scratched.

At 5-2, Backsideofthemoon returned $7.40 for a $2 win wager. The victory was his fourth overall and first in a stakes. In his only other attempt at black type, the 6-year-old ridgling by Malibu Moon was second for trainer Leo O'Brien in the Seattle Slew this summer at Saratoga, finishing a neck behind Securitiz.

"I wanted to cover this horse up because watching his replays, he always gets to the last horse and waits and waits," said Carmouche. "So, I wanted to sit behind horses as long as I could and split them. I knew it was going to be a race home with the No. 1 horse [Doyouknowsomething] and me and I figured if I rode a little harder, I could get the horse in and become a winner.

"Mr. O'Brien told me to ride him to win, and that's what I did," he added. "Everything set up perfect. I wanted to make sure I followed the No. 1 horse every step of the way because that was the horse to beat, and it worked out."