By Steve Sherack
ELMONT, NY — 'TDN Rising Star' No Parole (Violence) exited his rail draw with his mind on business, and ran four quality rivals off their feet to collect a first top-level score in Saturday's GI Woody Stephens S. at Belmont Park.
The Louisiana-bred cruised on the front end through an opening quarter in :22.31 with slightly favored 'Rising Star' Meru (Sky Mesa) and GIII Gotham S. winner Mischevious Alex (Into Mischief) giving chase in second and third.
Mischevious Alex made his move into second and the turning- back 'TDN Rising Star' Shoplifted (Into Mischief) began to wind up with a flashy move from the back with a three-wide bid as they hit the quarter pole.
But No Parole was still going easy up front, however, and despite racing on his left lead down the stretch, reported home a dominating winner by 3 3/4 lengths.
Fellow 'Rising Star' and Bachelor S. runner-up Echo Town (Speightstown), racing a bit further back than expected in the early going perhaps, came along late after saving ground throughout to complete the exacta without threatening the winner.
Shoplifted, fifth in the Oaklawn S. going 1 1/8 miles last time Apr. 11, was third.
No Parole won his first three career starts, all against state-breds, by a combined margin of 34 lengths, including the La-Bred Premier Night Prince S. going a two-turn mile at Delta Downs Feb. 8.
Little went right in his next attempt around two turns, however, facing open company for the first time in Oaklawn's GII Rebel S. Mar. 14. No Parole flashed early speed that day and tired badly to report home a distant last of eight in the sloppy going. He bounced back in style with a sharp optional claiming tally going six furlongs at Oaklawn last time Apr. 24.
“I think No Parole's game is his speed,” winning trainer Tom Amoss said. “He's shown that in all his races. To be able to draw the inside and take advantage of that with a good rider like [Luis] Saez, everything played out as we hoped.
Amoss continued, “No Parole is a one-turn horse for sure. We'll get together with the ownership and we'll sit down and map out a plan. We're very excited about his future and we're already thinking about the first weekend in November [for the Breeders' Cup].”
Saez added, “He came out of the gate perfect and he put me in a perfect spot. We came to the half-mile and I had a lot of horse. When we hit the stretch, he took off. I was sitting chilly and I knew I had a lot of horse. When everyone got close to him [turning for home], he took off again.”
Pedigree Notes:
No Parole becomes the first North American Grade I winner for promising young sire Violence, and his seventh overall at the graded level. The winner's dam Plus One was a stakes-winning turf sprinter at Penn National and hails from the extended female family of graded winners License Fee (Black Tie Affair {Ire}) and Greeley's Galaxy (Mr. Greeley). Plus One brought $67,000 from Keith and Ginger Myers's Coteau Grove Farms in foal to Violence at the 2014 KEENOV sale. Her most recent produce is a yearling filly by Connect. She was not bred for 2020.
Saturday, Belmont Park
WOODY STEPHENS S. PRESENTED BY CLAIBORNE FARM-GI, $242,500, Belmont, 6-20, 3yo, 7f, 1:21.41, ft.
1–NO PAROLE, 120, c, 3, by Violence
1st Dam: Plus One (SW, $168,847), by Bluegrass Cat
2nd Dam: License Free, by Miswaki
3rd Dam: Star Deputy, by Deputy Minister
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($75,000 Ylg '18
KEESEP). 'TDN Rising Star' O-Moss, Maggi and Tramontin,
Greg; B-Coteau Grove Farms (LA); T-Thomas M. Amoss; J-Luis
Saez. $137,500. Lifetime Record: 6-5-0-0, $295,366. Werk Nick
Rating: D. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Echo Town, 120, c, 3, Speightstown–Letgomyecho, by
Menifee. ($100,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). 'TDN Rising Star' O-L and
N Racing LLC; B-Betz, J. Betz, Burns, CHNNHK Thoroughbreds,
Magers, CoCo Equine & R (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.
$50,000.
3–Shoplifted, 120, c, 3, Into Mischief–Shopit, by Yes It's True.
'TDN Rising Star' ($525,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP; $800,000 2yo '19
FTFMAR). O-Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stables, LLC and LNJ
Foxwoods; B-Machmer Hall and Carrie & Craig Brogden (KY);
T-Steven M. Asmussen. $30,000.
Margins: 3 3/4, 1 3/4, NK. Odds: 3.10, 4.30, 3.95.
Also Ran: Mischevious Alex, Meru. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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