No Parole gets shot at Grade 1 glory in Woody Stephens

ELMONT, N.Y. – No Parole may not have the stamina to be a graded stakes winner going long, but trainer Tom Amoss feels he has the speed to be top-caliber going short.

No Parole will get a chance to prove Amoss correct Saturday at Belmont Park when he runs in the Grade 1, $250,000 Woody Stephens Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs.

A Louisiana-bred son of Violence, No Parole demolished statebred competition during the winter, winning his first three starts by a combined 34 lengths. He attempted two turns in the Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn Park, where he chased the pace and stopped, finishing last.

Six weeks later, No Parole bounced back with a sharp allowance win going six furlongs at Oaklawn.

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“Those races at Oaklawn that time of year where a lot of the tracks were closed were coming up a lot tougher than what the conditions read,” Amoss said Monday. “I thought it was a very good effort.”

To sharpen No Parole for his step into Grade 1 company, Amoss put the horse through a fast in-company five-furlong workout in 57.60 seconds on June 10 at Churchill Downs.

“He needed that kind of work for a race like this,” Amoss said. “That was by design.”

Luis Saez will ride No Parole, who was scheduled to ship to New York on Tuesday with Amoss assistant Joel Delacruz.

Others expected for the Woody Stephens include Mischevious Alex, Shoplifted, Echo Town, More Left, Meru, and possibly Premier Star.