Serengeti Empress coming along quicker than anticipated

Serengeti Empress, who won the 2019 Kentucky Oaks and was third last month in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, is back under tack at Woodford Farm in Ocala, Fla., and could return to trainer Tom Amoss’s Fair Grounds barn in a week or so, Amoss said Wednesday.

That is a slightly accelerated schedule compared to what was anticipated a few weeks ago and could lead to an earlier start to Serengeti Empress’s 2020 campaign than had initially been envisioned.

“It’s probably worth noting that a race like the one in Houston would not be out of the question now,” Amoss said, referring to the Houston Ladies Classic on Jan. 26. “She shouldn’t take a lot of work to get ready.”

This past Sunday, Amoss unveiled a Louisiana-bred 2-year-old, No Parole, who stomped a suspect group of statebred-restricted maiden sprinters by 14 1/4 lengths. No Parole, a Violence colt owned by Maggi Moss, ran six furlongs in 1:10.24 and got a 90 Beyer Speed Figure. No Parole isn’t eligible for the Louisiana Futurity later this month and Amoss said he won’t rush No Parole into anything ambitious.

“He’s got the advantage of being a Louisiana-bred,” Amoss said.