Bay colt Rhythm Buzz (Buzz Nightmare – River Rhythm) continued to show rapid improvement as a four-year-old when he easily brushed aside rivals to win the Legal Light Trophy feature on Saturday, April 27, 2024.

Rhythm Buzz registered his third-consecutive victory from five starts this season in the Open Allowance contest for three-year-olds and upward over nine furlongs and 25 yards.

The Vincent Atkinson-conditioned Rhythm Buzz defeated former Horse of the Year
Further and Beyond by 9¼ lengths, with Green Gold Rush a further 19¾ lengths adrift in third place. The winning time was a good 1:57.3 (26.0 x 50.3 x 1:16.1 x 1:42.4).

Atkinson said that he was pleased with Rhythm Buzz’s effort, which he thinks is going to place.

“It was an outstanding performance from Rhythm Buzz. He is younger than Further and Beyond, and Further and Beyond has been having issues sometimes, but they are doing such an outstanding job with him, and I have to commend the connections on the job they are doing.

“The preparation was simple for Rhythm Buzz. He is an easy horse to prepare. He is sound; he stays sound, and that is the greatest thing about a horse. Just keep him happy and manage him, and everything is good with him.

“Well we are going up in class, so we will see how things work out, but he is looking good today. We will see what’s going on in the future with him. We expect good things, so we will continue going,” Atkinson told the Jamaica Observer’s The Supreme Racing Guide.

Rhythm Buzz settled in second position behind Further and Beyond (Raddesh Roman) going around the clubhouse turn and onto the main track. Champion jockey Reyan Lewis continued to bide his time aboard Rhythm Buzz, even though Further and Beyond increased his lead down the backstretch.

Further and Beyond continued to pump the pace going into the half-mile turn, but Lewis let loose a notch aboard his charge and Rhythm Buzz joined Further and Beyond approaching the distance.

Rhythm Buzz hit the front full of running, entering the straight and went on to win the race easily at the wire.