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.