backsideofthemoon | Horse Racing Free Tips

No Longer Allowed to Race at NYRA, 10-year-old Sent to Parx

Backsideofthemoon (Malibu Moon) has lived on the Belmont backstretch since 2015, but that changed Tuesday when a van picked him up to take him to Parx. It's not where owner Charlie Halas or trainer Pat Reynolds want him to be, but they didn't have much choice in the matter. Even though he finished third in a stakes race, the Queens County S., in his most recent start, Backsideofthemoon is no longer allowed to race or stable at the NYRA tracks because he has turned 10 years old.

“I was emotional having to walk that horse to the chute to get him on the van and I was pissed,” Reynolds said.

Halas claimed Backsideofthemoon for $62,500 out of a Feb. 8 optional claimer last year at Aqueduct. It was the second time he had claimed the horse. Though it is always risky to claim a 9-year-old, particularly one for $62,500, Halas had no reason to believe that his horse was 11 months removed from being ineligible to race at the NYRA tracks. In April, two months after the claim, NYRA announced a new rule that prohibited horses

10 or older from running at its tracks.

“[Halas] loves the horse but he never would have taken him for $62,500 if he knew he couldn't run him here,” Reynolds said. “They make stuff up as the go along here in New York. He claimed the horse and then they come up with the rule that a 10-year-old can't run here. He thought he might be grandfathered in because he had him before the rule was made.”

Backsidfeofthemoon was 0-for-10 in 2021, but still managed to earn $93,800. He finished in the money in three of his last four starts, all of them at the allowance or stakes level. He concluded his 8-year-old campaign with a win in the 2020 Queen's County.

Reynolds said he understands why NYRA put the rule in place, but says an exception should have been made for a horse who is still competitive at the stakes level.

“I understand their point,” he said. “They don't want to be scraping 10-year-olds off the racetrack and have PETA jumping up and down saying 'I told you so,'” the trainer said. “I understand the rule, but in the case of this horse we feel a little slighted. He just ran third in the Queen's County, which shows that he still has some life in him. He has run 94 and 95 Beyers in his last two starts.”

According to the rules, Backsideoftheoon should have vacated his stall at Belmont by Jan. 1, but Reynolds managed to milk out a few more days in New York for him. He's worked him twice this year, most recently on Tuesday prior to his ship when he went four furlongs in :51.90 over the Belmont training track.

Knowing that NYRA wasn't about to let the horse stay at Belmont much longer, Reynolds sent him to Parx where there are no rules that prohibit a 10-year-old from racing. Backsideofthemoon was entered in an allowance there next Tuesday. He will race one more time for Reynolds and then will be turned over to trainer Michael Aro.

“This is such a shame,” Reynolds said. “He's been consistent, is sound and is easy to train. The horse is doing really well right now.”

When asked for comment, NYRA spokesman Pat McKenna provided the following statement: “Horses 10 years of age or older are ineligible to be stabled or compete in races at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. This NYRA rule was implemented in April to enhance equine safety and remains in place today.”

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New NYRA Rule Forces 10-Year-Old Backsideofthemoon Off Grounds; Trainer To Continue Racing Gelding At Parx

A regulation implemented by the New York Racing Association last April has required 10-year-old Backsideofthemoon to be moved off the grounds, reports the Daily Racing Form. The rule forbids horses age 10 and old from training or racing at Saratoga, Belmont, or Aqueduct.

Trainer Patrick Reynolds believes the gelding is still sound and fit enough to race, so his career will continue at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pa. Backsideofthemoon was entered in a race on Monday, Jan. 24, but track conditions forced the cancellation of that card.

Instead, Backsideofthemoon worked at Belmont Park on Jan. 26 and was shipped to Parx late in the morning. He will be trained by Michael Aro at Parx, a trainer with whom Reynolds has a working relationship.

The Parx racing office plans to bring the race back next week.

Backsideofthemoon is a multiple stakes-winning, graded stakes-placed son of Malibu Moon. His record stands at 8-10-10 from 57 starts with earnings of $816,016.

Backsideofthemoon takes his final stroll around Belmont Park after his morning workout, half mile in 51 3/5, Despite being sounder than most horses he has been denied the privilege of stabling at NY tracks due to age discrimination. He is 10. Heartbreaking! pic.twitter.com/Pn0WzGLlM7

— Patrick L. Reynolds (@_joemana) January 26, 2022

Forewarned Pulls Off Upset In Queens County At Aqueduct

Every once in a while, Uriah St. Lewis pulls off an upset in a stakes race and Sunday's Queens County was another one of those surprises. Breaking from the outside of the field of nine, Forewarned went five-wide on the far turn to find racing room down the center of the stretch and pass the dueling duo of Empty Tomb and Backsideofthemoon to take the stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., by 1 1/4 lengths.

Going off at a big price, Forewarned broke from post nine, settling midpack as Bal Harbour, Empty Tomb, and Backsideofthemoon battled three across for the lead around the first turn and down the backstretch of the 1 1/8-mile stakes. Coming out of the far turn, Backsideofthemoon had a narrow lead over Empty Tomb, with Bal Harbour still battling to their outside.

Into the Aqueduct straight, Empty Tomb and Backsideofthemoon battled as Bal Harbour fell back. On their outside, down the center of the track, Forewarned mounted his bid for the lead, jockey Dexter Haddock driving the son of Flat Out for the lead. Inside the last sixteenth, Forewarned caught the dueling frontrunners, pulling away to win by a length. Empty Tomb pulled ahead of Backsideofthemoon in the race's final strides to take second. Olliemyboy, Bal Harbour, Mystic Night, Bourbonic, You're to Blame, and Shooger Ray Too rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:51.90. Find this race's chart here.

Forewarned paid $86.00, $24.00, and $13.00. Empty Tomb paid $9.10 and $5.90. Backsideofthemoon paid $6.10.

“He was working well into this race. The thing with him is he wants longer distances. The longer the better and that's what we were trying to do. He won the Best of Ohio Endurance three years in a row which is a mile and a quarter,” owner/trainer Uriah St. Lewis said after the Queens County. “We're going to keep him in longer distance races over the winter. The mile and an eighth is great for him. Anything that Dexter [Haddock] is willing to ride, we're willing to take the chance.”

“I saw a couple of horses fighting up front around the first turn. I knew I had a lot of horse when I made my move and he came with a big run at the end. He was training so well in the morning, and he felt good today,” jockey Dexter Haddock told the NYRA Press Office after the race.

Bred in Ohio by Preston Stables LLC, who also bred Gravesend winner Chateau, Forewarned is by Flat Out out of the Five Star Day mare Fortune Play. He is owned by his trainer Uriah St. Lewis. Consigned by Bill Reightler, agent for Preston Stables LLC, Forewarned was sold for $40,000 at the December 2018 Fasig-Tipton Midatlantic Mixed Sale. With his win in the Queens County, the 6-year-old horse has two wins in 13 starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of 45-10-7-4 and career earnings of $762,383.

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Take Two: Mr. Buff Looking For First Graded Victory In Westchester

Mr. Buff's path to a potential first career graded stakes win took a slight detour earlier in April when having to scratch out of the Grade 3 Excelsior at Aqueduct Racetrack. But the veteran 7-year-old will get another opportunity to check that box when he competes in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Westchester for 4-year-olds and up going a one-turn mile at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The Chester and Mary Broman New York homebred has amassed 17 career wins in 44 starts dating to 2016, becoming a mainstay on the NYRA circuit for trainer John Kimmel. Mr. Buff, who already has secured millionaire status, has compiled 11 career stakes wins and will continue his quixotic quest for a graded stakes win in the six-horse Westchester, which will mark his sixth career start at that caliber.

A half-length winner of the Stymie going the Westchester distance over a sloppy and sealed track at the Big A on February 27 marked Mr. Buff's last start. The Friend Or Foe gelding was the 4-5 morning line favorite in the Grade 3, $150,000 Excelsior on April 3 at Aqueduct before being scratched after showing signs of colic.

After a brief respite, Kimmel said Mr. Buff is ready to run at a Belmont track in which he has posted a 5-2-3 record in 15 career starts.

“He's doing quite well and we're looking forward to getting him back in since we are now eight weeks since his last race,” Kimmel said. “He's good and he's ready to go.”

Mr. Buff has won the last two editions of the Empire Classic over Big Sandy and has trained well on that Belmont main track, breezing four furlongs in 49.09 seconds on April 21.

“He's training great. He hasn't missed a beat,” Kimmel said. “He's won the Empire Classic twice there, so he handles the track and he's been breezing on the main track, so he's ready.”

Edgard Zayas will pick up the mount, breaking from post 5.

St. Elias Stable's Dr Post will be making his first start in nearly eight months, with his 4-year-old bow marking his first start at Belmont Park since running second to eventual New York-Bred Horse of the Year Tiz the Law in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes last June.

The Todd Pletcher trainee has not run since finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy in September at Saratoga Race Course. The Quality Road colt earned black type in two prestigious races for sophomores, following his runner-up effort in the third leg of the Triple Crown with a third-place finish behind Ny Traffic and winner Authentic in the Grade 1 Haskell in July at Monmouth Park.

Dr Post, 2-1-1 in six starts with earnings of $370,635, will pick up the services of jockey Manny Franco, breaking from the outermost post 6.

Novak Stable's Limonite will again link up with Mr. Buff after running second to him in the Stymie, finishing a half-length back in his first stakes appearance since 2019. The 5-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure for the second consecutive race in that effort, matching the number earned for his five-length score against optional claimers going 1 1/8 miles on February 8 at the Big A.

Trained by Amira Chichakly, Limonite returned to graded stakes company last out in the Grade 3 Excelsior, finishing third in a race won by Modernist. In his 23rd career start, Limonite will be making his Belmont debut, drawing post 4 in tandem with regular rider Eric Cancel.

Wicked Trick also has graded stakes experience at Belmont, running fourth in the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2 True North last June at Belmont. Trainer Linda Rice, who co-owns the 6-year-old son of Hat Trick along with Stephen Cooper, will stretch him out to one mile for the first time in six starts, with his previous route resulting in a fifth-place effort in the Stymie in March 2020 at Aqueduct.

Jose Lezcano will be in the irons from the inside post.

Phipps Stable's Top Seed will be making his stakes debut in his seventh career start, having compiled three wins in that stretch for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. He made his first start of his 5-year-old campaign in April at Keeneland, running fifth against optional claimers going 1 1/16 miles. But the son of Orb will look to recapture the form he showed in 2020, when he won his debut that February at Gulfstream Park and added optional claiming wins at Tampa Bay Downs and Churchill Downs, respectively.

Top Seed will look to win a race at a fourth track when he ships to New York for the first time, drawing post 3 with Trevor McCarthy set to ride.

Charles Hallas' Backsideofthemoon, fourth in the Grade 3 Excelsior last out, will be looking for his first win since coming into the care of trainer Robert Klesaris earlier this year. The winner of the Queens Colony last December is winless in 15 starts at Belmont but will be looking to buck history, breaking from post 2 with Joe Bravo aboard.

The Westchester is slated as Race 3 on the 11-race program, with the slate's other stakes being the Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay for older fillies and mares going 1 3/8 miles in Race 10 and the Grade 2, $200,000 Fort Marcy for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the turf in Race 5. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the spring/summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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