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American Pharoah Filly Sweet Melania Leads Wonder Again Field Gate-To-Wire

Robert E. and Lawana L. Low's Sweet Melania made all the running with a sharp seasonal debut to capture Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Wonder Again, a one-mile event for sophomore fillies on the Widener turf course at Belmont Park.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, the American Pharoah chestnut made the grade in October with a similarly striking performance in the Grade 2 Jessamine at Keeneland ahead of a third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in November.

With regular pilot Jose Ortiz up, Sweet Melania broke alertly and immediately took command through an opening quarter-mile in 24.15 seconds with Antoinette pinned to her flank.

Sweet Melania maintained her position as the half eclipsed in 47.62, with Antoinette continuing to pester and Selflessly beginning a three-wide move around rivals. Ortiz and Sweet Melania cut the corner turning for home and continued to open up on her competition through a swift three-quarters in 1:10.99 en route to a dominant 1 ½-length score. She covered the mile in 1:34.23 on the firm Widener turf.

Pletcher said he was confident in Ortiz finding the right way to utilize Sweet Melania's abundant speed.

“Analyzing the race beforehand, it looked as though she had a pace advantage,” said Pletcher. “We weren't going to put her on the lead, we felt that she would naturally get herself there. Jose did a nice job of hashing it out and she responded well.”

Ortiz said he was impressed by how Sweet Melania finished up the winning effort.

“She relaxed well and we started picking it up little-by-little. At the three-sixteenths pole, she gave me a nice kick. She's a nice filly,” said Ortiz, who captured this event last year with Cambier Parc.

Highland Glory, under Manny Franco, made a late run to earn place, a half-length in front of Antoinette. Speaktomeofsummer and Selflessly rounded out the order of finish.

“The pace was slower than I expected. I thought there was going to be more pace, but it is what it is,” said Franco. “She ran good. I like her going further. The longer, the better for her. If you saw the gallop out, she passed everybody.”

Bred in Kentucky by St. Elias Stables, the $600,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is out of the stakes-winning Discreet Cat mare Sweet N Discreet.

Sweet Melania banked $82,500 in victory while improving her record to 3-1-3 from seven starts. Sent to post as the 6-5 mutuel favorite, she returned $4.60 for a $2 win bet.

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American Pharoah Filly Scores Sweet Win in Wonder Again

SWEET MELANIA (f, 3, American Pharoah–Sweet N Discreet, by Discreet Cat) delivered the performance everyone expected, dominating the GIII Wonder Again S. from start to finish. Seizing the early advantage, the 6-5 chalk put up a half-mile in :47.62 with Antoinette (Hard Spun) in tow. Showing the way into the lane, the chestnut bursted clear in the lane to win as she pleased over Highland Glory (Sky Mesa). Just missing in Saratoga’s P.G. Johnson S. this summer, Sweet Melania romped in Keeneland’s GII Jessamine S. Oct. 9 and was third in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Nov. 1. Lifetime Record: 7-3-1-3.

O-Robert & Lawana Low; B-St. Elias Stable LLC (KY); T-Todd Pletcher.

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Cut Back To Seven Furlongs, No Parole Takes Them All The Way In Woody Stephens

Maggi Moss' Louisiana-bred 3-year-old No Parole absolutely dominated state-bred competition in his first three starts, leading to Triple Crown hopes for the son of Violence. A failed experiment in the G2 Rebel quickly convinced trainer Tom Amoss that the colt preferred shorter distances, and No Parole rebounded with a six-furlong allowance score at Oaklawn in his next start.

That victory convinced Amoss to try sprinting the colt against Grade 1 company, and this time the experiment was successful. On Saturday, No Parole led the field from gate-to-wire to win the G1 Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park, completing seven furlongs over the fast main track in 1:21.41. Ridden by Luis Saez, the 3-1 chance No Parole defeated runner-up Echo Town by about four lengths.

No Parole broke well from the rail and immediately took up a one-length lead over his four rivals, settling in for fractions of :22.31 and :45.01. Post-time favorite Meru (2-1) chased from second, while Mischevious Alex, Echo Town, and Shoplifted all maintained relatively close order up the backstretch.

Mischevious Alex moved up to second around the far turn, and Shoplifted made a three-wide move from the rear of the field to threaten as well. Meanwhile, Echo Town moved up the rail to put himself in contention heading into the lane.

Saez shook the reins at No Parole and despite never changing leads, the colt pulled away toward the wire for an easy victory. Echo Town kept grinding at the rail to get up for second, while Shoplifted held third over Mischevious Alex. Favorite Meru finished last.

Bred in Louisiana by Coteau Grove Farms, No Parole is out of the stakes-winning Bluegrass Cat mare Plus One. Moss paid $75,000 for the colt as a yearling at the Keeneland September sale, and in his first start in December of his juvenile season, No Parole won by 14 1/4 lengths. His second start was similar, winning a first-level allowance at the Fair Grounds by 13 1/4 lengths.

Amoss shipped the colt to Delta Downs to run in the Louisiana-bred Premier Night Prince Stakes over a mile, and he won by 6 1/2 lengths at the finish. After his eighth-place effort in the Rebel, No Parole won an allowance at Oaklawn by 2 3/4 lengths.

Overall, No Parole's record stands at five wins from six starts, with earnings of $300,000.

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Violence Colt Takes No Prisoners in Woody Stephens

NO PAROLE (c, 3, Violence–Plus One, by Bluegrass Cat) went wire-to-wire to score his first Grade I win in the Woody Stephens S. Saturday at Belmont. Given a 3-1 chance for this step up in class, the LA-bred broke sharply from his rail draw and went straight to the front, clicking off an opening quarter in :22.1. Registering a half in :45.01, the bay was on cruise control in the lane, coasting home to a decisive victory in 1:21.41. Winning his first three starts in state-bred company by a combined 34 lengths, No Parole was well-beaten when trying two turns in the GII Rebel S. Mar. 14 and returned to winning ways when cut back to six panels in an Oaklawn optional claimer Apr. 24. Lifetime Record: 6-5-0-0.

O-Maggi Moss & Greg Tramontin; B-Coteau Grove Farm (LA); T-Tom Amoss.

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