Backsideofthemoon by a nose in Jazil Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Last fall at Belmont Park, Backsideofthemoon lost a narrow decision in the Seattle Slew Stakes in part, his connections felt, because he had made the lead too soon. On Saturday at Aqueduct, 133 days and four starts later, Backsideofthemoon won the $100,000 Jazil Stakes, making the lead at the last possible moment.

Last of four turning for home under Kendrick Carmouche, Backsideofthemoon hooked up with pacesetting favorite Doyouknowsomething inside the three-sixteenths pole and needed every inch from that point to the wire to stick his nose in front. It was a half-length back to Turco Bravo, who had dueled with Doyouknowsomething early. Harlan Punch finished last of the quartet. Unbridled Daddy and Clowney scratched.

Assistant trainer Keith O’Brien, who saddled the horse for his father, Leo O’Brien, who was ill Saturday, said that narrow defeat in the Seattle Slew and disappointing efforts in the horse’s last two allowance races prompted a slight change of equipment and tactics.

“Last time, Junior [Alvarado] rode him and said, ‘I’ve got so much more underneath me, but he’s not giving it to me,’ ” Keith O’Brien said. “So, we cut the blinkers back and said you just got to ride him … to just get there as late as you can. It didn’t have to be quite this late, but this way he just loves to fight, he loves to battle.”

Carmouche won two previous stakes here this week on the front end. On Saturday, he was comfortable keeping Backsideofthemoon behind dueling leaders Doyouknowsomething and Turco Bravo and just inside of Harlan Punch.

“I wanted to cover this horse up because watching his replays, he always gets to the last horse and waits, waits, waits, so I wanted to sit behind horses as long as I can and split them,” Carmouche said.

Over a main track that has quickened considerably this week, Backsideofthemoon covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.94 and returned $7.40 as the third choice in the field of four.

Backsideofthemoon gave Leo O’Brien his first stakes victory since Pretty Boy Freud won the Corma Ray at Belmont on Sept. 28, 2011. Backsideofthemoon, a 6-year-old ridgling by Malibu Moon, is owned by Lake Lonely Racing, headed by Jim Hill, who was a co-owner of 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew.

“We don’t win too many stakes these days, but to win a stakes and win for him is fantastic,” Keith O’Brien said.