Full Moon Madness aims to rebound in G3 John A. Nerud
Jay Em Ess Stable’s Kentucky homebred Full Moon Madness looks for his second Grade 3 win of the year in Saturday’s $175,000 John A. Nerud, a six-furlong sprint for older horses, at Belmont at the Big A.
Trained by Michelle Nevin, Full Moon Madness looks to rebound from a seventh in the seven-furlong Grade 2 Carter presented by NYRA Bets on April 5 here. There, the 5-year-old Into Mischief gelding dueled with a rival to set fractions of 22.37 seconds and 44.85 on the fast main track and weakened in the event won by the deep-closing Crazy Mason.
“He might’ve been going a little too quick to get the seven furlongs,” said Nevin. “We will cut him back and see how it goes.”
Full Moon Madness [post 1, Manny Franco] previously ran a career-best 98 Beyer Speed Figure when winning the local six-furlong Grade 3 Tom Fool on March 1. That effort was his fifth consecutive on-the-board result at the Big A, including Listed stakes placings in the Gravesend and Toboggan, and a head score over returning rival Surveillance in a six-furlong optional claimer.
“I like the cut back for him,” said Nevin, of the race that was previously run at seven furlongs. “In the Carter, he didn’t break great. I think going seven furlongs was just maybe taking him a little too far. The break will make a big difference for him.”
Full Moon Madness is out of the dual Grade 1-winning Indian Charlie mare By the Moon, who captured the 2014 Frizette and 2017 Ballerina on the NYRA-circuit for the same connections.
Victoria’s Ranch’s Silver Slugger [post 2, Junior Alvarado] is an intriguing newcomer to the Big A following six wins among seven consecutive efforts at Tampa Bay Downs. Trained by Juan Carlos Avila, the 5-year-old Cairo Prince gelding enters from three straight pacesetting scores, including by 6 1/2 lengths in a 6 1/2-furlong starter optional claimer last out on April 16, which earned a career-best 94 Beyer.
“He has improved every race,” said Avila. “He’s running very nicely right now, and I need to try this stakes. I know he is coming from easier groups, but he is ready for this, I think so, with this group.”
The main question mark for Silver Slugger is the step up in class as his two prior stakes attempts represent his only losses. In his December 2022 debut, he was eased home in the Future Stars at Parx Racing ahead of an over one-year layoff. Silver Slugger was also a 3 1/4-length sixth to Grade 1-winner Nutella Fella in the six-furlong Listed Pelican in February at Tampa.
“He has only lost one race at Tampa, which was a stakes race. He didn’t break good, he was very bad at the start,” said Avila. “But he finished up three lengths back and I think he is better now.”
Silver Slugger is owned by retired Major League Baseball star Victor Martinez, who was a two-time Silver Slugger Award-recipient during his career as the best offensive player at his position.
“Victor Martinez is the owner, and he’s waited three years for this with this horse,” Avila said. “He only raced twice in 2024 and the rest were ‘25. He’s happy with him right now.”
Martinez and Avila have teamed up for stakes success at the Big A before, capturing the 2023 Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap with Little Vic.
Ice Wine Stable’s New York-bred Whatchatalkinabout [post 3, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] has shown talent over the local dirt, including a last-out eight-length state-bred optional claiming romp over course and distance on January 16. Trained by Wesley Ward, the 4-year-old Dialed In gelding earned a field-best 106 Beyer Speed Figure.
Whatchatalkinabout, bred by Newtown Anner Stud, was purchased for $82,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale. He captured the New York Breeders’ Futurity in October 2023 at Finger Lakes Racetrack to close out his juvenile campaign before a one-year layoff.
Since returning in October, Whatchatalkinabout has posted two close seconds here versus state-breds in addition to his impressive last out victory.
Ilium Stables’ Grade 1-placed Anarchist [post 5, Joel Rosario] has contested three Grade 3s this year including a last-out three-quarter-length third in the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on April 12 at Oaklawn Park. Trained by Doug O’Neill, the 6-year-old Distorted Humor bay was a head second to The Chosen Vron in the six-furlong Grade 1 Bing Crosby in July 2023 at Del Mar.
Anarchist exited the Bing Crosby to win the Grade 2 Pat O'Brien at Del Mar. He has been second seven times, including to 2022-23 Champion Sprinter Elite Power in the 2023 Grade 2 True North at Belmont Park.
Anarchist, out of the dual stakes-placed Elusive Quality mare Vicarious Won, was a $75,000 purchase at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He has since earned $623,578 through an 18-3-7-2 record.
Rounding out the field is graded stakes-winner Surveillance [post 4, Kendrick Carmouche] for trainer Linda Rice and six-time winner O’Conner Sunset [post 6, J.D. Acosta] for conditioner Michael Jones, Jr.
The Nerud is slated as Race 7 on Saturday’s 11-race card, which also features the Grade 2 Man o’ War [Race 2], Grade 2 Ruffian [Race 10], Grade 3 Peter Pan [Race 11] and Listed Take the A Train [Race 9]. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
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