Patrick Reynolds, who trained Big Brown to his first victory last September, and Paul Pompa, Jr., who retained 25 per cent ownership after selling a majority interest in the colt after that race, are here for the American Oaks with New York invader Backseat Rhythm.

Interestingly, one of their main rivals is Kentucky invader Pure Clan, co-owned by IEAH Stable, the majority owners of Big Brown. IEAH transferred Big Brown from Reynolds to Rick Dutrow before the colt swept to national prominence by sweeping the Florida Derby, Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes this year.

Pure Clan, the 2-1 morning-line favorite, is stabled in Barn 54 North with trainer Robert Holthus and will wear the IEAH white silks with red stripes and blue stars made famous by Big Brown during the Triple Crown.

Pompa and Reynolds would like nothing better than pull an upset with Backseat Rhythm, stabled in Barn 70 North. Both horses were flown here Monday.

“The filly galloped a mile and a half against the bit the whole way this morning so it looks like she shipped out okay,” said Reynolds after the exercise under exercise rider Alberto Delgadillo.

“A light blowout tomorrow and we should sitting on go,” added Reynolds. “She worked like a banshee at Belmont the day before we shipped so we don’t want to overdo it.”

Reynolds is confident Backseat Rhythm belongs with this company despite her 20-1 morning line. “That’s a mistake,” he said of the odds. “If you isolate her in the Breeders’ Cup (where she rallied to finish third in the Juvenile Fillies), you will see she ran much better than it looked on paper. As well as she ran on dirt, she seems to have more bounce on the turf.”

Victorious in two of three grass starts, Backseat Rhythm comes off a six-length victory in an allowance race at Belmont May 23 at the Oaks distance of 1¼ miles.

“She finished second in the Frizette and third in the Breeders’ Cup, but her best numbers are on the grass, and we opted to go back to grass,” explained Pompa, a Brooklyn trucking company executive.

“She won her last race rather easily at 1¼ miles, has trained forwardly since and has the class to run with these fillies,” explained Pompa of his decision to accept the invitation.

And for meeting IEAH-owned Pure Clan? “We want to beat them,” said Pompa with a smile.