Anarchist Set to Stir Things Up in John A. Nerud Stakes

Anarchist , a graded stakes winner at Del Mar and Woodbine and even stakes-placed in Korea, is ready for the next stop: The Big Apple.

The well-traveled sprinter, third last out in the April 12 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park, heads to Aqueduct Racetrack May 10 to contest the $175,000 John A. Nerud Stakes (G3). He battles five rivals in the Nerud, led by fellow stakes winners Full Moon Madness , Whatchatalkinabout , and Surveillance .

Coming off 12 consecutive stakes starts, 11 of which were graded, the Doug O’Neill-trained Anarchist has the class to contend in Saturday’s race. The 6-year-old son of Distorted Humor comes off a close defeat in the Count Fleet over the same six-furlong distance of the John A. Nerud, losing by three-quarters of a length to the speedy Booth .

Joel Rosario rides the Ilium Stables-owned runner, who is 3-7-2 in 18 starts. His victories came in a 2022 maiden race at Ellis Park, the 2023 Pat O’Brien Stakes (G2) at Del Mar, and the 2023 Jacques Cartier Stakes (G3) at Woodbine.

The six-furlong distance of the Nerud suits Jay Em Ess Stable’s Kentucky homebred Full Moon Madness, a winner of three of six starts at the trip. He drops in class after fading to seventh after setting a pressured pace in the seven-furlong Carter Stakes (G2) April 5 at Aqueduct.

“I like the cut back for him,” trainer Michelle Nevin said.