Louisiana | Horse Racing Free Tips

Grade 1 Winner No Parole Tries Turf Saturday At Fair Grounds

A robust field-of-14 is entered for Saturday's $100,000 Costa Rising for Louisiana-breds going 5 ½ furlongs on the turf at the Fair Grounds, though only one rates as a Grade 1 winner. While Maggie Moss and Greg Tramontin's No Parole will be making his turf debut, that won't keep bettors from sending it in with both hands on a blazing fast runner who reached racing's highest level last year.

No Parole (post 2 as Mike Diliberto's 8-5 morning line favorite, with Luis Saez to ride) was one of the best 3-year-old sprinters in the country in 2020 for trainer Tom Amoss. He ran with the best one-turn horses in training in a campaign highlighted by a win in Belmont Park's Woody Stephens (G1) in June. The son of Violence was off-the-board in a pair of graded stakes to end his sophomore campaign and Amoss backed off, regrouped, and found a soft return spot February 10, when No Parole won the Premier Sprint with ease at Delta Downs. Amoss got what he wanted at Delta, and is looking forward to trying No Parole over the Stall-Wilson.

“The comeback race was a good race, but it was obviously the stepping stone,” Amoss said. “So, what makes us all of a sudden try the grass with a horse who has never been on the grass? Timing is one thing, the purse is another thing, but more important than those two things, pedigree.”

No Parole is out of the Bluegrass Cat mare Plus One, who won the Alison McClay over the turf at Penn National in 2012, and is a full-brother to recent local turf winner Violent Ways, another talented state-bred who is 4-for-7 lifetime. With a strong pedigree, especially for a Louisiana-bred, Amoss knows that a turf stakes win would add a lot of No Parole's stallion potential.

“There's a lot to see in that female side of the family in terms of being able to sprint on the grass,” Amoss said. “With that kind of evidence out there, this was a very logical race for us before we leave Fair Grounds. If it doesn't work, it's horse racing, a lot of what you try doesn't work.”

Trainer Ron Faucheux will start an uncoupled quartet, with Ivery Sisters Racing's Monte Man (post 6 at 5-1 with Adam Beschizza) leading the way. The 8-year-old son of Custom for Carlos is an eight-time stakes winner who has won the Costa Rising the past two years and is 3-for-4 over the Stall-Wilson. Monte Man enters off a February 26 optional-claiming win over the course and distance, is 17-for-45 lifetime, and clearly represents the main danger to the favorite.

Lane Cortez's Afleet Ascent (post 8 at 12-1 with John Velazquez), a 6-year-old son of Northern Afleet, was second going long in the Louisiana Champions Day Turf here in December for Faucheux, who also runs Picard Thoroughbred Racing Stable's Fame Feather (post 12 at 12-1 with Florent Geroux), a stretch runner who is 4-for-11 over the course, and Allen Cassedy's Bertie's Galaxy (post 14 at 8-1 with Irad Ortiz Jr.), who has been in three exacta in 11-of-16 lifetime starts, though he's just 1-for-2 on turf.

Completing the Costa Rising field from the rail out: Robin Lane Thoroughbreds' Future Ruler (30-1 with Aubrie Green), who is 5-for-24 lifetime but has lost seven straight for trainer Lee Thomas; Richard Benton's Silver Galaxy (post 3 at 30-1 with Gabriel Saez), who enters off a deep-closing February 19 allowance win here on the dirt but winless in one turf start for trainer Joey Foster; owner-trainer Gerard Perron's homebred Grand Luwegee (post 4 at 12-1 with Roberto Morales), who upset the Louisiana Champions Day Classic on dirt here in December but is 0-for-3 on turf; Set-Hut's X Clown (post 5 at 12-1), a close third to Monte Man last time for trainer Jerry Delhomme; Farm d'Allie Racing Stable's Win Lion Win (post 7 at 20-1 with Eddie Martin Jr.), unraced since running ninth in Keeneland's October 3 Woodford (G2) for trainer Allison Ramsay-Banks; Columbus Circle Partners and trainer Steve Margolis' Yankee Seven (post 9 at 10-1 with Brian Hernandez Jr.), third in the Costa Rising last year; Valene Farms' Classy John (post 10 at 12-1 with Colby Hernandez), second, beaten a head, to Monte Man last time for trainer Dallas Stewart; Lorlow Stables' homebred Bootsie's Galaxy (post 11 at 15-1 with Marcelino Pedroza), fourth to Monte Man last time for trainer Sam David); and Larry and Katherine Menard's homebred A Song for Arch (post 13 at 20-1 with Mitchell Murrill), who won a state-bred optional-claimer two-back for trainer Brett Brinkman.

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Louisiana Commission Stonewalls Broberg Even After False-Positive Exoneration

One day after learning he had been exonerated by split-sample test results that negated an original “ridiculous” finding of three serious drug violations in a single mare who won a Nov. 24 race at Delta Downs, trainer Karl Broberg told TDN that Louisiana State Racing Commission (LSRC) officials turned down his offer to have the mare's hair tested while the case was being adjudicated to prove that no Class 1 and 2 drugs were in the system of Tiz One Fee (Tiz the One).

Broberg also said the LSRC has thus far been uncooperative about engaging in any substantial dialogue about how the potentially career-ending false positives might have been triggered, and that regulators have stonewalled his efforts to obtain a copy of the testing contract between the commission and the lab it employs, which is run by the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine.

Broberg, who is currently second on the continent in training wins for 2021 and led North America in victories every year between 2014 and 2019, said that one of the most maddening aspects of the months-long ordeal was the time he spent trying to figure out if someone had intentionally spiked the food of a mare he knew had not been medicated with the alleged substances-oxycodone (a Class 1 drug, the most severe category according to Association of Racing Commissioners International standards), plus levamisole and citalopram (both Class 2).

“The anguish I went through for the two months waiting for the split to come back, thinking that it could essentially be the end of my training career, speaks for itself. It was [expletive] horrible,” Broberg said.

“My initial reaction was that somebody got me,” Broberg said. “That somebody had done something intentionally, and most likely put it in the feed tub or something like that. So you're going through all of these scenarios wondering who could possibly hate you enough and be a sorry enough human being to do something like that to an animal.”

The Paulick Report first broke the story of the false positives Mar. 8, detailing Broberg's account of how after being notified of the initial results Dec. 28, Broberg sent a check for $3,750 Jan. 12 to the testing laboratory at the Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at the University of California at Davis to have the split samples tested for confirmatory purposes.

Broberg said that in addition to being out the cost of testing the split sample, the false positives cost him an opportunity to run Tiz One Fee in the $50,000 Premier Lady Starter S. at Delta Downs Feb. 10, a race in which Broberg said she would have been heavily favored to win.

“No explanation. No apology,” Broberg told TDN. “I wasn't able to run the horse during that two-month time frame. I went to the stewards to offer to have hair pulled and sent off for testing to show that there's nothing in the horse. [They said] that was not an option, that the horse would not run until a ruling had been issued.

“I mean, I've never even heard of a horse testing positive for three different drugs,” Broberg continued. “More than anything, I'm just curious as to how something like this gets to that point.”

Charles Gardiner, the executive director of the LSRC, did not reply to a request from TDN to explain the commission's side of the story prior to deadline for this article.

“I think the laboratory needs to be looked at,” Broberg said. “When they come up with these ridiculous results to begin with, do they immediately send [the findings] off like that, or does common sense come into play? [As in] 'Hey. We should probably run this [test] again.'”

Broberg said he has requested the details of the LSRC/LSU testing contract, “but you would think I'm asking for top-secret information, because there's not much interest in sharing that with me at this point.”

Andrew Mollica, a New York-based attorney, in 2014 helped Hall-of-Fame trainer Bill Mott fight an alleged drug overage case against the New York State Racing Commission on the basis that regulators failed to provide Mott with a split sample he could test. Mollica told TDN Tuesday that Broberg's ordeal underscores not only the need for trainers to be guaranteed the right to split samples, but that commissions need explicit rules that mandate such cases get thrown out when the independent tests come back clean. Mollica said that is still not the case in at least two states that he knows of, New York and New Jersey.

Mollica said even though Mott dropped his civil lawsuit against the New York commission in 2018 and served a negotiated seven-day suspension, the challenges that Mott presented in court helped bring about a protocol change in November 2017 that now gives New York horsemen the option of sending a “referee sample” to an independent lab.

“Broberg's case exemplifies why split samples are essential for due process,” Mollica said. “The denial of split samples is a denial of due process. Broberg didn't do it. The test proves it. The reality is that jurisdictions, like New York, didn't [provide split samples] for years. And the fact that we were able to at least initiate them now shows that we're on the right track.

“But we're not there yet,” Mollica continued. “The regulation in New York doesn't mandate that you can be exonerated by a split sample. They don't even acknowledge that. New York wants to continue to litigate, even if you prove the [original] test was no good. And New Jersey's even worse. New Jersey goes as far to say in threshold matters, if your threshold comes back under {the allowable amount], the mere fact that we found it, you're guilty.”

Broberg said it was unclear whether he would purse some sort of remedy in the court system.

“I really don't know at this point,” Broberg told TDN. “A simple apology from someone would be a nice start, instead of being treated like you're a crook and [told] you should just be thankful the split came back clean and you should just shut up and go on.”

Asked if he had a message for other trainers based on what he just went through, Broberg said this: “That there's got to be easier ways to make a living in another endeavor.”

After a long pause, he added, “I'm disgusted by the entire thing, if you can't tell.”

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The Great One, A True Heart Horse For Coteau Grove Farms

Horses often hold a special place in the hearts of their breeders. After all, the breeder is almost like the parent as they are the ones who bring that horse to life and give them their start in the world. But, some horses are a little extra special to their creators for one reason or another and GII San Felipe S. contender The Great One (Nyquist) is one those for his breeders Keith and Ginger Myers of Coteau Grove Farms in Sunset, Louisiana.

In 2008, the Myerses started their broodmare band with eight mares purchased at the Keeneland November Sale. The first of those eight to foal was a mare named Character Builder (Coronado's Quest), who they bought for $65,000 in foal to El Corredor. The resulting foal, who was the first born on Coteau Grove Farms, was Little Ms Protocol, the dam of The Great One.

“In those first mares we bought in 2008, was a mare named Character Builder,” Keith Myers said. “She had the first foal born on this farm, which was Little Ms Protocol, the dam of The Great One. My wife is a nurse and she is so passionate about the horses. They are all like children. She delivered Little Ms Protocol. We had a vet there as well, but she did everything. She imprinted her and stayed the whole night with her. Little Ms Protocol had a great career in Louisiana as a racehorse before she went to be a broodmare. So, we had a personal attachment through that which makes The Great One even more special.”

As they were brand new to the breeding business, the Myerses raced all of their homebreds themselves at first to establish their brand in the state, which included Little Ms Protocol. The chestnut carried the Coteau Grove Farms colors to nine wins–seven of which were stakes–from 30 starts, all of which took place in Louisiana. She placed in 12 additional races for earnings of $731,290.

“When we see him run, we see the determination and the competitiveness that Little Miss Protocol had,” Myers said. “When she was neck and neck coming down the stretch, more than a few times, we have seen her reach forward and try to bite the horse next to her coming down the stretch. When I see how he comes on at the end, I see a lot of Little Miss Protocol in him. I am sure a lot of that is in our minds because we love Little Miss Protocol so much, but it makes it extra special for us.”

A $125,000 OBSOCT yearling buy, The Great One brought $185,000 from Dennis O'Neill at the OBS June Sale, which was held in July last year, and sent to trainer Doug O'Neill. His connections thought highly enough of him to debut him in the grassy Speakeasy S. at Santa Anita in September, but he proved the turf was not for him, finishing sixth. Fourth to recent GIII Southwest S. runner-up Spielberg (Union Rags) next out going a mile on the Del Mar main track Nov. 1, he filled the same spot going a mile on the lawn there 28 days later. Second to Spielberg in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity S., The Great One dominated next out in a one-mile maiden special in Arcadia Jan. 23, graduating by 14 lengths.

“We will for sure be watching Saturday,” Myers said. “We already have our calendars blocked out for the first Saturday in May, as well! That [running the GI Kentucky Derby] would be huge, especially thinking about it in the context of a Louisiana-bred.”

While The Great One will attempt to fly the Coteau Grove Farms banner on the Derby trail this year, another talented colt looks to continue to make his mark–and that of his breeders–in the older male sprint division. That colt is Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star' No Parole (Violence).

A $75,000 KEESEP purchase by Maggi Moss, No Parole crushed his competition at the start of his career, winning three Louisiana-bred events, including a stake, by a combined 34 lengths. Extended to two turns for last year's GII Rebel S., the bay proved to be distance-limited, finishing eighth, but bounced back with a pair of victories, including the GI Woody Stephens S. last June. Off the board in his next two starts in graded company, No Parole kicked off 2021 with a facile victory in the LA-Bred Premier Sprint S. Feb. 10.

“He was the first Grade I winner we bred. It is so exciting,” Myers said. “We watch him very, very closely and when he is finished on the track, we will certainly be interested in where he goes next [as a stallion].”

The Myerses were very busy at the November breeding stock sales, buying a substantial group of mares to improve their breeding program in the hopes of producing more Louisiana-breds of the same quality as No Parole and The Great One. They purchased 13 mares at Keeneland and two more at Fasig-Tipton through bloodstock agent Andrew Cary. Their purchases were topped by a trio of $500,000 mares in Miss Hot Legs (Verrazano, KEENOV)–a half-sister to champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil); the well-bred Contributing (Medaglia d'Oro, KEENOV), who was in foal to Speightstown; and Prado's Sweet Ride (Fort Prado, FTKNOV), who was carrying a foal by Justify.

This was a good investment year for us because they changed the breed-back rules in Louisiana to give us more flexibility for breeding out of state,” Myers said. “The stallion quality in Louisiana is not very high. The previous rules required you to breed [to a stallion] in the state every other year, which really limits the quality of mare you can buy. That rule change really gave us the opportunity to buy some high-quality mares.”

He continued, “This year we are breeding all of our mares to Kentucky stallions. I think this rule change will result in stud farms having to bring higher quality stallions into the state. In the future, we may breed some mares in Louisiana, but we will definitely breed most of our mares in Kentucky.”

With representatives like The Great One and No Parole on the racetrack and an influx of new bloodlines from the November Sales, the Myerses will have the racing world giving Louisiana-breds a much harder look in the future.

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GSP Aurelius Maximus to Stud in Louisiana

GSP Aurelius Maximus (Pioneerof the Nile–La Reina, by A.P. Indy) has been retired from racing and will enter stud in 2021 at Jay Adcock's Red River Farm in Coushatta, Louisiana. The deal was brokered by Andrew Cary of Cary Bloodstock. The 5-year-old, who will stand in a partnership between Nathan Granger and Stonestreet Stables/George Bolton/Peter Leidel, will stand for $2,000 live foal, with consideration to approved mares.

“Aurelius Maximus is the most exciting horse to retire to Louisiana for many years,” said Cary. “His combination of impeccable pedigree, gorgeous conformation and top-class ability on the racetrack make him a very tantalizing prospect for breeders in the southwest.”

Granger added, “We're very excited to get a horse of such talent and grit–not to mention his great looks. We're just as excited to partner with one of the premier ownership groups in the industry in Stonestreet Stables, Mr. Bolton and Mr. Leidel.”

Aurelius Maximus broke his maiden at Belmont Park by 7 3/4 lengths second time out before finishing fourth in the 2018 GI Champagne S. Sidelined afterwards, he kicked off 2020 with two professional allowance victories at Fair Grounds and Churchill Downs before finishing a neck to Mr Freeze (To Honor and Serve) in the GII Hagyard Fayette S. at Keeneland last October.

Aurelius Maximus was conditioned for his final four races by Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

“Aurelius Maximus was an amazing physical,” he said. “He was super athletic and had tremendous heart. If his foals look like him, he'll make an outstanding sire.”

Stonestreet Stables bloodstock advisor John Moynihan, who purchased Aurelius Maximus privately as a 2-year-old, added, “Aurelius Maximus is among the most talented horses we've ever had at Stonestreet. He had legitimate Grade I ability, a ton of natural speed, and has an awesome physical to go with it.”

Aurelius Maximus is one of seven winners produced by the Grade III-winning La Reina, who also produced Grade II winner Chief Havoc (Giant's Causeway) and Grade III-placed Special Event (Arch). La Reina is a half-sister to Grade I winner and sire Brahms (Danzig) and to SW Olympic (Danzig). This represents the female family of Grade I winners Queena, Too Chic, Chic Shirine, Somali Lemonade, Verrazano, etc.

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