Aqueduct undercard: Drexel Hill, Full Moon Madness win stakes

Drexel Hill showed an impressive turn of foot to capture her first stakes victory in Saturday’s listed, $200,000 Busher Stakes, a one-turn mile for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct. 

In victory, the Legion Racing-owned daughter of Bolt d’Oro was awarded the winner’s share of the 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifying points awarded to the top five finishers, bringing her total Oaks points to 57 after a fifth in the Untapable in December and a third-place finish in the Silverbulletday last out on Jan. 18, both at Fair Grounds.

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Whit Beckman, who began training in 2021 and spent several years in New York as an assistant to Chad Brown and Todd Pletcher, said Drexel Hill showed heart under Ben Curtis to win despite a stumbling beginning. 

"It's an exclamation point for me. For a short career, I've spent so much time up here and it's good to come back and win one,” Beckman said. “She came out and looked a little flat. (Curtis) was nudging her along the whole way and down the backside, so I was a little unsure if she was going to fire. Once he got her pointed outside, she engaged, and once she flattened out down the stretch, she responded beautifully.”

In the troubled beginning, Drexel Hill stumbled and bumped with a foe from post 3 in the eight-horse field and was near the rear of the pack as Jose Lezcano-piloted She’s Fascinating took charge exiting the chute to mark the opening quarter-mile in 23.64 seconds over the fast main track. 

The pacesetter would not be in command for long as the pressing Volleyballprincess forged ahead along the inside under Eliseo Ruiz and assumed the lead midway down the backstretch with Sharp Smile and post-time favorite Liam in the Dust tracking just behind She’s Fascinating through the half-mile in 47.68 seconds. 

Kendrick Carmouche-ridden Amarth made an eye-catching, four-wide move in the turn to loom large coming to the top of the stretch. A game Volleyballprincess dug in along the inside, and Curtis coaxed Drexel Hill to the far outside to set her sights on the top pair. 

Amarth and Volleyballprincess went head to head in the upper stretch. Amarth edged clear just past the eighth pole, but a loaded Drexel Hill was urged by Curtis to split rivals, a move that proved successful as she passed Amarth in the final strides to win by three-quarters of a length with a final time of 1:41.46. 

Volleyballprincess finished another four lengths back in third with Fortuna Mia and Ramify collecting the remaining Oaks points. Sharp Smile, She’s Fascinating and Liam in the Dust completed the order of finish. Nilo’s Rose was scratched. 

Beckman reiterated his pride in the filly’s determination as she provided him with his first New York stakes victory.  

"Generally horses that break like that and are having to be asked the whole way don't finish so well, but once he got her through the turn and she switched leads, she really found another gear,” Beckman said. “It's never an easy track to close that far on, and I was thrilled he was able to get her in the right spot to pick up those last couple of horses."

Curtis, aboard for the Silverbulletday as well, said he was impressed with the filly’s grit to overtake the Eddie Kenneally-trained Amarth late in the stretch. 

"She broke very quick out of the gate and then took a stumble about a jump in and it took her awhile to get going after that,” Curtis said. “She didn't really take to the track very well early, but I let her find her feet and warmed her up into it. 

“I saw the Kenneally horse going well, so I tried to follow that one through. She only really came good the last eighth of a mile and she hit the line very strong. I think she overcame the fact she didn't like the track. She's a very tough filly. She's crying out for more. The further the better. She has a good attitude, and she'll stay well."

Carmouche said Amarth, a last-out sixth in the Untapable, was brave in defeat. 

"I had a perfect trip. I thought I'd be at least sitting second, but I let those guys run away from me,” Carmouche said. “I was sitting a perfect trip. No excuse for this filly, she ran her heart out. I thought the trainer and the owner brought this horse to win today. I thought if I gave her a good ride, we could get the money at (23-1)."

Beckman has three fillies pointed towards the Kentucky Oaks with Her Laugh and Simply Joking having won prep races at Fair Grounds this winter. The next local option for Drexel Hill would be the nine-furlong Gazelle (G3) on April 5, a 100-50-25-15-10 Oaks qualifier. 

"I'm not going to say she likes the track, but she did perform well. Maybe with a little more distance and some pace, it could be a legitimate option for her,” Beckman said of the Gazelle. “Her Laugh will run in New Orleans, and Simply Joking we're thinking either at Oaklawn or Keeneland."

Bred in Kentucky by Tuscany Bloodstock, Drexel Hill made her first four starts including a fourth-out graduation in November on the Woodbine Tapeta for conditioner Barbara Minshall before moving to Beckman in December. She was a $50,000 purchase at the 2023 Keeneland September yearling sale and is out of winning Daaher mare Ascot Walk. She banked $110,000 in victory while returning $12.00 on a $2 win bet.

Full Moon Madness sprints to Tom Fool win

Jay Em Ess Stable’s Kentucky homebred Full Moon Madness utilized a prominent trip under Kendrick Carmouche to win the $175,000 Tom Fool Stakes (G3), a six-furlong sprint for older horses at Aqueduct.

Trained by Michelle Nevin, the 5-year-old Into Mischief gelding is out of dual Grade 1-winning Indian Charlie mare By the Moon, who captured the 2014 Frizette and 2017 Ballerina on the New York Racing Association circuit for these same connections. His second dam, Grade 1-placed New York-bred By the Light, won nine stakes for Jay Em Ess Stable, who purchased her as a yearling for $190,000.

Full Moon Madness was off a step slow last out in the seven-furlong, listed Toboggan on Feb. 1 at Aqueduct but broke alertly from post 3 Saturday. He dueled with Manny Franco-piloted Top Gunner through splits of 22.76 and 46.37 seconds over the fast main track with Surveillance stalking to their outside in third position.

The pacesetters battled through the turn with Carmouche asking his charge for more to put away his rival turning for home as Surveillance launched his bid in front of rallying Bold Journey. A determined Full Moon Madness turned back the charge of Surveillance in the final furlong and dug in gamely to score by 1 1/4 lengths with a final time of 1:11.10.

It was 4 1/2 lengths back to Top Gunner in third with Runninsonofagun, who was off a step slow from the inside post, completing the superfecta. Bold Journey and Ridgewood Runner rounded out the order of finish.

Nevin credited a sharp start and a hustling ride from Carmouche for the victory.

"A good, clean break today was great,” Nevin said. “They were quick, but Kendrick looked very comfortable and very happy where he was sitting. Manny looked like he was having to work a little bit, but Kendrick was just poised there.

"He's a quirky horse. Kendrick got him to break good today, and that's the key.”

Carmouche, who has 3,977 career victories, concurred with the winning conditioner.

“He broke better. I wanted to be forward with him. He put me into a good spot. That's all I had to do was ride him home from there,” Carmouche said. “I thought Michelle had done a good job with getting him back to the races and his winning ways."

Nevin indicated Full Moon Madness could come under consideration for the seven-furlong, $300,000 Carter (G2) on April 5 at Aqueduct.

"He has run well going seven. Is it taking him to his limits? Maybe. We'll see how he comes out of this,” Nevin said.

Full Moon Madness, who was second in the 2022 Nashua (G3) in his lone previous graded attempt, banked $96,250 in victory while improving his record to 12: 4-2-3. He returned $8 for a $2 win bet.