No Parole Returns to Sprinting in Oaklawn Allowance

Maggi Moss and Greg Tramontin took a gamble with their talented Louisiana-bred sprinter No Parole in March when they entered him in the Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park. Described as an "experiment" by trainer Tom Amoss, the move was designed to give the 3-year-old Violence  colt, who had already proved himself as a more-than-competent sprinter, a shot at the Triple Crown trail.

But an off-the-board finish in the March 14 Rebel told the team all they needed to know. With six furlongs comfortably in No Parole's sweet spot, the colt will return to Oaklawn for an allowance optional claiming race April 24 at his preferred distance. 

"The No Parole that everyone was introduced to outside of Fair Grounds was the horse that was very, very impressive in sprint starts where he won by open lengths in each," Amoss said. "We felt that he deserved a chance at one of the (Kentucky) Derby (G1) preps. The Rebel is the race we chose, and Maggi Moss and I did that through conversation, deciding on that specific race with the understanding that if it didn't work out, we would do what we knew he could do well, which was sprint." 

No Parole was unbeaten in three starts upon entering the Rebel, his longest win coming at a mile in the Feb. 8 LA Bred Premier Night Prince Stakes at Delta Downs. Though the colt broke sharply in the 1 1/16-mile Rebel, he managed only a brief duel with winner Nadal before fading at the six-furlong mark to finish eighth. 

"That race back in March did not work out, so we're coming back in this race Friday with what we know he does well, and we're going to stay with that plan from here on in," Amoss said. 

No Parole will break from the rail under Joe Talamo. The race drew 12 entrants, plus one also-eligible, from around the country, including another stakes winner in Texas-bred colt Bubba Bling, who will be making his first start at the Arkansas track. 

Owned and trained by Steve Asmussen, Bubba Bling has hit the board in all five starts and picked up black type at 2 when he won the My Dandy Division of the Clarence Scharbauer Jr. Texas Stallion Stakes at Retama Park. In his only start in 2020, the Too Much Bling  colt finished third in the non-black-type Jim's Orbit Stakes Feb. 22 at Sam Houston Race Park. 

Bubba Bling will break from post 3 under Ricardo Santana Jr. 

Among the most tested sophomores entered is Les Wagner's American Butterfly, who will be making his 11th start. Trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, the American Pharoah  colt last raced April 5 at Oaklawn, where he finished third in an allowance optional claimer. 

Though he has yet to earn black type, American Butterfly competed at the top level at 2, in the Runhappy Hopeful Stakes (G1) and Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1). He returned to graded company at 3 in his second start of 2020, finishing off the board in the Feb. 17 Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn. Jockey Stewart Elliott will have the call from post 2. 

With racing limited to tracks still operating without spectators, Amoss said he's pleased to see an overall increase in the level of talent coalescing in traditionally smaller races. 

"Racing has been consolidated to a great extent," Amoss said. "There are two tracks in Florida, one in the Midwest, and a couple of minor tracks in the Texas and Oklahoma area. What you're seeing in these races at Oaklawn Park, including the race with No Parole, is a real cosmopolitan field that includes horses from all over. What would be described, literally, as a first-level allowance race after looking at the racing form is one you could interpret as a stakes-race-type group.

"It's great for the fans, but it hasn't made it easy on us trainers. But I feel blessed that we have a place to run the horses. I'm not complaining."