OZONE PARK, N.Y. – In his last few ventures outside of Southern California, Anarchist has run into some very tough customers and acquitted himself quite well.
In the summer of 2023, Anarchist came to Belmont Park for the Grade 2 True North where he finished second to Elite Power, the 2022 champion sprinter who would win that title again in 2023. Last fall, Anarchist traveled to South Korea where he finished third behind Japan’s top sprinter Remake in the $1.4 million Korea Sprint.
Last month, after two dull efforts in California, Anarchist ran head and head with Booth, among this year’s top sprinters in North America, finishing third, beaten just three-quarters of a length, in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Handicap at Oaklawn Park.
Saturday, the company looks a bit softer when Anarchist faces just five rivals in the Grade 3, $175,000 John Nerud Stakes at Aqueduct.
Anarchist, a 6-year-old son of Distorted Humor, came from off the pace to win the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien at Del Mar in August 2023. But his best races since then are when he’s into the race early. In the Count Fleet, Anarchist challenged Booth from the start through a quarter in 21.87 seconds and a half-mile in 44.66. While Booth kept going, recording his third straight win, Ryvit came late to nail Anarchist for second.
Saturday, Anarchist will break from post 5. That will enable Joel Rosario to track the other potential speeds in the race, Silver Slugger and Full Moon Madness.
“He does seem like if he’s there at the head of the lane, he’s going to be there at the wire,” trainer Doug O’Neill said. “If he’s engaged from the outset, you get his best effort.”
The New York-bred Whatchatalkinabout gave his best effort from just off the pace winning a second-level New York-bred allowance on Jan. 16. He won by eighth lengths, ran six furlongs in 1:09.48, and earned a 106 Beyer Speed Figure.
Whatchatalkinabout was scratched at the gate from the Grade 3 Commonwealth at Keeneland on April 8 when he reared up and unseated Irad Ortiz Jr. Trainer Wesley Ward said Whatchatalkinabout reacted from the gate shenanigans of Nutella Fella.
Whatchatalkinabout is facing open company for the first time, but Ward doesn’t see that as an issue.
“Numbers suggest he can do it and he’s a big powerful horse,” Ward said. “If he runs anywhere close to the number he ran last time he’s the winner.”
Whatchatalkinabout, who has Ortiz named to ride again, has been firing bullet workouts at Keeneland, though Ward said he has not passed his workmate, the 3-year-old Touchy, because exercise rider Julio Garcia doesn’t let him. Touchy most recently finished third in the Lexington Stakes.
Full Moon Madness, who was dueled into defeat in the Grade 2 Carter; Silver Slugger, a winner of six of eight starts, though 0 for 2 in stakes; Surveillance; and O’Conner Sunset complete the field.
Take the A Train
Trainer Christophe Clement sends out a solid pair of 3-year-old fillies in Annascaul and Love Cervere in the inaugural running of the $150,000 Take the A Train Stakes scheduled for six furlongs on turf.
Annascaul, a New York-bred daughter of American Pharoah, comes off a 189-day layoff. She was last seen finishing second to Me Governor in the Stewart Manor Stakes here last Nov. 2. Clement, over the last three years, has a 23 percent strike rate and a $1.70 return on investment with layoffs of 180 to 290 days. Just last week, he won the Grade 3 Sheepshead Bay with Bellezza, who was coming off a 217-day layoff.
Annascaul won her debut sprinting against New York-breds at Saratoga. Clement admittedly got a bit ambitious and sent her to the Grade 1 Natalma at Woodbine, where she finished sixth. Back in a listed stakes in the Stewart Manor last November, Annascaul made a belated bid to finish second to Me Governor.
“She’s done very well physically,” Clement said. “We’re in good shape.”
Irad Oritz Jr. rides Annascaul from post 6.
Love Cervere was a debut winner sprinting here last Nov. 1. She was a good second in the Ginger Brew Stakes in January at Gulfstream Park before finishing fifth, beaten three lengths as the 5-2 favorite, in the Sanibel Island. Her last two starts were both around two turns.
“She disappointed me big time on Florida Derby Day [in the Sanibel Island],” Clement said. “She was very active, Manny [Franco] rode her, she was fighting him all the way, she was never settled and did not finish the race well, but I think sprinting is a good idea.”
Bunratty Manor and Serving Time will scratch to run in Saturday’s $225,000 Mamzelle at Churchill Downs. Lovely Emma and Hey Bertie, also cross-entered in the Mamzelle, run in New York.
Hey Bertie, trained by Cherie DeVaux, is 2 for 2 after winning her maiden in an off-the-turf sprint at Fair Grounds in January and an allowance on the turf at Fair Grounds in March.
Lovely Emma, who went 1 for 4 racing at four different tracks at 2, is a front-running sort. Flavien Prat rides for Peter Eurton.
With the scratches, Warming draws in from the also-eligible list for Graham Motion. She won her debut sprinting at Aqueduct last June and hasn’t run since.
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