Full Moon Madness fends off Surveillance to make the grade in the Tom Fool (Joe Labozzetta)
Keith McCalmont/NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Jay Em Ess Stable’s Kentucky homebred Full Moon Madness utilized a prominent trip under Kendrick Carmouche to make the grade in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Tom Fool, a six-furlong sprint for older horses, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by Michelle Nevin, the 5-year-old Into Mischief gelding 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 these same connections. His second dam, the Grade 1-placed New York-bred By the Light, won multiple 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 February 1 here but broke alertly from post 3 Saturday and dueled with the Manny Franco-piloted Top Gunner through splits of 22.76 seconds and 46.37 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 the 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 in a final time of 1:11.10.
FULL MOON MADNESS eclipses the competition in the G3 Tom Fool Stakes, digging in to score his first stakes victory with @KendrickCarmou1 aboard for trainer @nevinracing! pic.twitter.com/HDsEmkSI3x
— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) March 1, 2025
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 [splits], 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,” Nevin added. “Kendrick got him to break good today and that’s the key.”
Carmouche, who is closing in on his 4,000th career victory, 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. Today was a victory day. I’d like to thank the owners, trainer, groom, and hotwalkers.”
Nevin indicated Full Moon Madness could come under consideration for the seven-furlong Grade 2, $300,000 Carter presented by NYRA Bets on April 5 here.
“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 Grade 3 Nashua 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.
Live racing resumes Sunday at the Big A with a nine-race card featuring the $125,000 Correction in Race 2. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
