Tom Amoss | Horse Racing Free Tips

Underpressure Repeats In Louisiana Premier Day Championship

Delta Downs hosted its richest program of the season Wednesday afternoon with another edition of Louisiana Premier Day. The program featured 10 stakes races for Louisiana-bred horses and over $800,000 in total purse money up for grabs.

The featured race was the $125,000 Louisiana Premier Day Championship and it was won for the second consecutive year by Mallory Richard's Underpressure, who rallied from last-to-first in the 1-1/16 mile event for older horses. Underpressure was ridden to victory by jockey Gerard Melancon, who also won the Distaff and the Gentlemen Starter on the same program.

After breaking last in a field of eight, Underpressure settled in about seven lengths from the pacesetter Double Star, who carved out fractional times of 23.88 seconds for the opening quarter mile, 48.46 for the half, and 1:39.98 for three quarters. As the field turned for home Underpressure began a sustained rally five wide as he passed rivals methodically before confronting Double Star in deep stretch.

During the final furlong Underpressure, who is trained by Chris Richard, wore down Double Star and went on to the victory by ¾ of a length, covering the distance over a fast track in 1:46.60. Jimi's a Star finished another 1 ¾-lengths behind the runner-up in third.

“I'm blessed to ride him,” said Melancon after the race. “He loves this track and the forty-eight second pace set up the race pretty well for him.”

Trainer Chris Richard was very humble when speaking of his star pupil following the win.

“He's a once in a lifetime horse; as solid as they come. I just try to not get in his way. His running style is to come from off the pace and he got the right set up today.

Underpressure has now won 14 races during his 40-race career. His bankroll now stands at $838,182 after earning another $75,000 for his tally on Wednesday.

Bred in Louisiana by James McIngvale, Underpressure is a 7-year-old gelding by Birdstone, out of the Charismatic mare Charming Colleen.

Sent to the gate at odds of 7-5, Underpressure paid $4.80 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.40 to show. Double Star paid $4.40 to place and $3.40 to show. Jimi's a Star was worth $8 to show.

No Parole was an easy winner of this year's $100,000 Louisiana Premier Day Sprint under jockey Diego Saenz for trainer Thomas Amoss and owners Maggi Moss and Greg Tramontin. No Parole won last year's Prince before scoring a Grade 1 win in the Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park a few months later. The 4-year-old son of Violence has now won six races from nine career starts.

No Parole covered five-furlong distance of the Sprint in a time of 57.37 second, the fastest clocking of the season at the distance.

There was plenty of drama in the $100,000 Distaff this year as Whispering Oaks Farm LLC's Quikfast N Ahurry survived a jockey's objection by Joe Stokes, who rode the runner-up Saints N Muskets. After several minutes of deliberation, the stewards disallowed the claim and made Quikfast N Ahurry the official winner. She was ridden by Gerard Melancon. Quikfast N Ahurry has now won five of 11 career starts. A 4-year-old filly by Closing Argument, Quikfast N Ahurry is trained by Steven Flint.

It was Southern Beauty who took the $100,000 Matron under jockey Diego Saenz who roused her to the lead turning for home in the five-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares. Southern Beauty is a 4-year-old filly who was making her eighth career start in the race for owner Allied Racing Stables LLC and trainer W. Bret Calhoun. The Matron victory was Southern Beauties first stakes score of her career. The win also marked the fourth winner of the day for Saenz.

The $100,000 Louisiana Premier Day Prince came down to the two favorites at the wire as Respect The Valleys, LLC's Standing Perfect edged out Jimmy Two Times. Standing Perfect was ridden to victory by Ashley Broussard and is trained by Lee M. Thomas. The win by Standing Perfect marked his second stakes score of the season. The 3-year-old son of Half Ours also took the Louisiana Legacy on January 11.

This year's $100,000 Louisiana Premier Day Starlet saw Jean Etienne Dubois' Australasia, who pushed her record to a perfect three-for-three as she dominated five rivals in the one-mile affair for 3-year-old fillies. Under jockey Diego Saenz the daughter of Sky Kingdom helped set the early pace before taking off and winning by 7-1/4 lengths. Australasia is trained by Brad Cox, who notched his 1,500th career win when she reached the finish line on Wednesday afternoon.

Joe Alfredo Castillo's 5-year-old mare Kris T was victorious in the $50,000 Ladies Starter under jockey Eguard Tejera. The Juan Larrosa trainee is now undefeated on the Delta Downs season with five wins in as many starts. Overall, she has now tallied 10 victories from 28 trips to the starting gate during her productive career.

Madelyn's Wild Max won the $40,000 Ragin Cajun Starter under leading jockey Tim Thornton, who got a leg up before the race from leading trainer Karl Broberg. Owned by End Zone Athletics Inc., Madelyn's Wild Max ran down Whacudposblygowrng in the final strides to record his 18th win from 78 career starts. The 10-year-old gelding was claimed by his current connections at Delta Downs on December 28 for $4,000.

This year's $40,000 Bon Temps Starter was won in front-running style by Gerald L. Averett, Jr.'s Wild Mallory under jockey Diego Saenz. The 6-year-old mare, trained by Ronnie Averett, has now won four times from 11 lifetime starts. The Bon Temps tally marked her second in row at Delta Downs this season.

And finally, the $50,000 Gentlemen Starter wrapped up the day as Greeley's Dealer was victorious under jockey Gerard Melancon. Greeley's Dealer is owned by End Zone Athletics and is trained by Karl Broberg, who had a training double on the program.

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Major Dispersals Drive Overall Gains At Keeneland January Sale

The resiliency of the Thoroughbred industry was highlighted this week at Keeneland's January Horses of All Ages Sale, which ended today with gross sales of more than $45 million, boosted by a number of prominent dispersals: 21 in-foal broodmares from Canada's acclaimed Sam-Son Farm; 39 mares, yearlings and horses of racing age from Lane's End, agent for the Complete Dispersal of the Estate of Paul Pompa Jr.; and 41 mares, yearlings and horses of racing age from Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, agent for the Dispersal of Spry Family Farm.

At the auction, held Jan. 11-14, a total of 963 horses sold for $45,522,100, for an average of $47,271 and a median of $15,000.

The 2020 January Sale, which covered five sessions, had 1,050 horses sell for $40,453,300, for an average of $38,527 and a median of $13,000.

The Pompa Dispersal recorded sales of $6,790,200, and the Sam-Son Dispersal had sales of $6,733,000. The two dispersals generated the auction's 11 highest prices.

During Tuesday's second session of Book 1, the Sam-Son and Pompa offerings produced two horses each sold for the sale-topping price of $925,000. Gainesway Farm paid the amount for Danceforthecause, a daughter of Giant's Causeway in foal to Twirling Candy, from Sam-Son. Peter Brant's White Birch Farm went to $925,000 for the Animal Kingdom mare Regal Glory, a multiple graded stakes winner for Pompa, via phone bidding with a Keeneland representative.

“The continued stability of the market is a testament to the hard work of all our sales participants, who have adjusted their operations and their expectations to meet the challenges of this unprecedented time,” Keeneland president, CEO and interim head of sales Shannon Arvin said. “The Sam-Son and Pompa dispersals are the legacies of two wonderful operations, and they infused a lot of positive energy into the January Sale. Dispersals are always bittersweet, but we are honored that their families and connections entrusted Keeneland to present these dispersals and showcase their excellence.”

As it did for the 2020 September Yearling and November Breeding Stock Sales, Keeneland held the January Sale with extensive COVID-19 protocols for the health and safety of participants. Consignors were able to post videos and photographs of their horses on Keeneland.com to assist remote buyers in evaluating the catalog offerings. Buyers in attendance could bid from the outdoor Show Barn just behind the Sales Pavilion to permit greater social distancing, while others who did not attend could participate in the bidding by internet or phone.

Via the internet, buyers purchased 109 horses for gross sales of $3,106,900.

“This is our third sale during this uncommon time, and we thank our consignors, buyers and agents for their perseverance and for adapting to the changes we have had to make,” Keeneland director of sales operations Geoffrey Russell said. “As a result, the January Sale was able to provide a steady marketplace. Foals sold well, as did quality broodmares. As we've seen for quite some time, there is a competitive market for a nice horse.”

Keeneland director of sales development Mark Maronde echoed those sentiments.

“The pandemic has been difficult, but trade didn't stop,” Maronde said. “Buyers who were not able to attend found ways to participate. We now look forward to welcoming everyone back to Keeneland, hopefully soon, under more normal circumstances.”

On Day 2 of the sale, the Sam-Son Dispersal offered members of coveted female families nurtured for generations by the multiple award-winning breeding and racing operation founded in 1972 by the late Ernie Samuel. Six horses sold for $400,000 or more. Joining Danceforthecause in that group were Deceptive Vision (sold to Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa for $900,000), Southern Ring (purchased by Phil Schoenthal, agent for Determined Stud for $875,000), Mythical Mission (Shimokobe Farm/Polo Green Stable, agent, $575,000), Fun in the Desert (Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, $530,000) and Theatric (Greg and Caroline Bentley, $400,000).

To help promote the dispersal, Sam-Son conducted a broodmare parade three days before the horses sold. Keeneland director of auctioneers Ryan Mahan and announcer Kurt Becker hosted the event, which Keeneland produced and livestreamed on its website.

“Keeneland was very good to us and the (Samuel) family was grateful for the show that was put on,” Sam-Son Farm manager Dave Whitford said. “Our courtyard (barn area) was wonderful; we could not have asked for better. We were very well received with people looking at our mares. We got a lot of compliments and were very pleased. The people who bought our mares also were very pleased.”

Whitford said the January Sale was a fitting showcase for the mares.

“We talked about waiting until November 2021, but of course we would have to foal all the mares and get them back in foal,” he said. “That would have delayed the process. We were confident we would stand out in January. We were very pleased.”

Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa's two purchases from Sam-Son are half-sisters out of Canadian champion Eye of the Sphynx, by Smart Strike. Deceptive Vision is an 11-year-old daughter of A.P. Indy in foal to War Front who is a full sister to Canadian champion Eye of the Leopard and stakes winners Hotep and Desert Isle. Fun in the Desert, a 10-year-old daughter of Distorted Humor, is the dam of Canadian champion Desert Ride. In foal to Candy Ride (ARG), she is carrying a full sibling to Desert Ride.

During the second session, Schoenthal, agent for Determined, purchased three members of the Sam-Son and Pompa Dispersals among the five horses they acquired through the ring for $2.12 million to be the sale's leading buyer. Their most expensive acquisition, the aforementioned Southern Ring, is a Grade 3-winning daughter of Speightstown in foal to Into Mischief. She is out of stakes winner Seeking the Ring, by Seeking the Gold, and from the family of Canadian champion Catch the Ring.

Into Mischief was the sale's leading covering sire by average (with three or more sold) with three in-foal mares averaging $531,667.

Held during the second and fourth sessions of the sale, the Pompa Dispersal included six horses that brought $500,000 or more.

“Mr. Pompa's program has been meticulously managed and it shows,” Lane's End sales director Allaire Ryan said. “It is nice to see the top agents and buyers giving these horses the respect they deserve. Mr. Pompa would be pleased.”

Among the highest-priced Pompa horses was stakes winner Beautiful Lover, a 5-year-old daughter of Arch sold to Moyglare Stud Farm for $650,000. A half-sister to Grade 2 winner Zivo, Beautiful Lover is scheduled to return to racing.

Schoenthal, agent for Determined, purchased two horses from the Pompa Dispersal. They paid $570,000 for Off Topic, a 5-year-old Grade 1-placed daughter of Street Sense consigned as a racing or broodmare prospect. She is from the family of Grade 1 winners Miner's Mark, Traditionally and My Flag.

They also spent $320,000 for Sustained, an 11-year-old, graded stakes-placed daughter of War Front in foal to Connect. Out of Sweetstorm Amy, by Lemon Drop Kid, Sustained is the dam of Grade 3 winner Turned Aside, who won the Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship (L) in November and sold to West Point and DJ Stable, L. E. B., agent, for $725,000 during the final session.

Selling to BBA Ireland for $500,000 from the Pompa Dispersal was Regal Glory's dam, Mary's Follies, a 15-year-old daughter of More Than Ready. She also is the dam of Grade 3 winner Night Prowler and Japan Group 3 winner Café Pharoah.

Horses of racing age from the Pompa Dispersal highlighted the final day of the January Sale. The session topper at $875,000 was Carillo, a 3-year-old colt by Union Rags who won his career debut Jan. 8 at Aqueduct and was purchased by Lauren Carlisle, agent. She said the colt would resume his career with trainer Tom Amoss.

“He's an exciting 3-year-old colt and hopefully he improves off (his first) effort and we will try to go longer with him,” Carlisle said. “We didn't want to spend that much but if you're in the market for a 3-year-old colt before (the Kentucky Derby) you're going to have to spend. We're happy to get him.”

Other top sellers from the Pompa Dispersal on the final day were the aforementioned Turned Aside ($725,000), Untreated (sold to Steven W. Young, agent, for $300,000), debut winner Spirit Maker (David Ingordo, $200,000), winner Perceived (DJ Stable, $140,000) and Grade 3 winner Country Grammer (WinStar Farm, $110,000).

West Point's Terry Finley said Turned Aside would be sent to trainer Mark Casse in Ocala, Florida.

“It is very rare to find a horse like this (to buy),” Finley said. “(Turned Aside's former trainer) Linda Rice did a great job with him. I got to know Paul about 10 years ago. He was a kind and classy guy, and you never heard a cross word about Paul Pompa. I hope we can carry on his legacy. He built a beautiful program. They won and they did it in style. I was a huge fan. We in the industry are heartbroken and sad that we don't have Paul around anymore. We will do our best to sustain his legacy.”

Held on the first and third days of the auction, the Spry Dispersal resulted in total sales of $1,405,900, led by Sand Hill Stables' purchase of the Maclean's Music yearling colt Mac's Prize on opening day for $200,000. He is out of the Tapit mare Heavenly Tap, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Instilled Regard and from the family of champion Heavenly Prize and Grade 1 winners Oh What a Windfall, Good Reward and Persistently.

Acquiring seven horses for $1,654,000, Larry Best's OXO Equine was second among buyers at the January Sale by expenditures. Best purchased the three highest-priced yearlings: a colt by Munnings, who topped the opening session at $475,000, along with a $400,000 filly from the first crop of City of Light and a $320,000 filly by Speightstown.

Hunter Valley Farm, agent, consigned the son of Munnings. Lane's End, agent, sold the filly by City of Light, and Buck Pond Farm, agent, consigned the daughter of Speightstown.

City of Light was the sale's leading sire of yearlings with eight horses selling for $1,225,500.

On Thursday's final session, 255 horses sold for $5,729,000, for an average of $22,467 and a median of $7,000.

Lane's End, agent, was the January Sale's leading consignor, selling 78 horses for $8,741,200.

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‘You Get A Taste Of That And You Want More’: Recent Success Has Amoss Moving In New Direction

In a “been there, done that” kind of career, Tom Amoss has seen a lot of highs around the famed Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots oval. The New Orleans native and LSU graduate has won the local trainer's title an amazing 11 times, to go with countless local stakes as well, and he was voted into the Fair Grounds Hall of Fame in 1998. But even for someone with Amoss' gaudy resume, the recent tear he's been on has been otherworldly, and it has him in contention for title number 12.

Amoss last won the Fair Grounds trainer's title in 2014-15, and, after a 2-for-16 start to the meet, he didn't figure to seriously threaten atop the standings as 2020 turned to 2021. The landscape changed in a hurry, however, as the New Orleans native is now in the midst of a wild 11-for-23 streak which began on December 18. Following his win in the Saturday finale with Defeater, his second of the day, Amoss snagged a tenuous one-win lead over four-time defending champion Brad Cox.

“Obviously, you have some hope going into the races, but racing luck can play a lot into the outcome of races,” Amoss said. “I think, in the end, as a trainer, you'd like to get rid of those peaks and valleys and kind of steady somewhere in between, but it doesn't work like that. So, when the barn is clicking it's just time to get out of the way. When it's not going well—and it was not going well at the beginning of the meet—you have to do what you always do when you get in one of those kind of sour streaks; you've got to continue to do the job as you always would, enter, and not hit the panic button.”

My Boy Gus is the type of horse Amoss built his career on, and the type that helped him win 11 local titles, as he claimed the 3-year-old for $40,000 out of his debut at Churchill Downs and immediately won right back with him. But as time has moved on, so have the goals of a stable that grown by leaps and bounds. Amoss won Churchill's Kentucky Oaks (G1) with Serengeti Empress in 2019 and last year's Woody Stephens (G1) at Belmont Park with No Parole. After tasting success at racing's highest level, there's little wonder he wants more.

“We're moving in a little bit of a different direction,” Amoss said. “Don't get me wrong; claiming has always been our bread and butter and will continue to be so. But you get a taste of a horse you develop like Serengeti Empress and one trip to that winner's circle on Kentucky Oaks Day and to that infield—a place where they don't take any win pictures except the Derby and the Oaks—you get a taste of that and you want more.”

With a stable that now plays on the national scene, winning his 12th local title wasn't on top of the “to do” list as 2021 dawned. Amoss looked back fondly on when he was in the midst of building his local Hall of Fame resume, then pondered how another plaque on the wall of the barn would feel.

“If you asked me that question—what would winning the Fair Grounds title mean—10-to-15 years ago, I would have told you it means a lot—because it did,” Amoss said. “Fair Grounds was our major emphasis in the winter and the bulk of our horses were down here. And it was a great motivator to our barn, which works so hard all meet. But a lot has changed since then and what kind of stable we have. If we win the training title it's great, but it's not going to have the meaning it once did. And I don't mean to take anything away from something that would be an accomplishment for sure, but it's not an emphasis.”

No Parole fits the profile of the new-age Amoss horse. Purchased for $75,000 as a yearling, he won on debut here in his lone start at 2 and then went on to much greater heights at 3. Last year, the newly minted 4-year-old Louisiana-bred son of Violence won the LA Bred Premier Night Prince Stakes at Delta Downs in February then tried Triple Crown hopefuls in Oaklawn's Rebel (G2) a month later, where he was eighth. Amoss cut No Parole back and he won an optional-claimer there in April before winning the Stephens at Belmont to announce his presence as one of the top sophomore sprinters in the country. No Parole was ninth in the Allen Jerkens (G1) at Saratoga in August and sixth in the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2) at Keeneland in October before Amoss decided he needed a break. He's worked twice since, including a 4-furlong move in a local 48.20 January 2, which has Amoss looking forward to a big 2021.

“He worked very well and showed he's getting ready very quickly,” Amoss said. “It would not be surprising to see him in the entry box sometime at the end of January or the beginning of February. He was great for us as a 3-year-old. He won a grade 1 in New York but horses, specifically sprinters, it's hard to keep them at the top of their game year-round. He tailed off, and that's not unusual, so it was time to give him a rest and get him ready for his 4-year-old year.”

While No Parole set the bar mighty high winning a grade 1 last year, Amoss has a slew of young horses he's looking forward to this year. He won with first-time starter Save here New Year's Day and sent out the highly-regarded Defeater to win the Saturday finale. The 3-year—old son of Union Rags was a $210,000 yearling purchase and ran to that price tag when he ran down a heavily favored Godolphin blueblooded entry. Prior to the race Amoss wasn't sure Defeater would win on debut, which only speaks to his talent, and his future.

“Defeater is a very, very nice colt but he comes with some difficulties for a trainer,” Amoss said. “He's not a precocious gate horse. Any of the young horses that are coming up like him, these are developing young horses and no matter how hard you try, you can't rush that development because a lot of that is getting physically bigger and stronger, as well as mentally understanding the racing. But make no mistake about it, Defeater is a runner.”

And Amoss, is a winner.

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Union Rags Firster Proves Best in Big Easy

10th-Fair Grounds, $50,000, Msw, 1-2, 3yo, 6f, 1:11.06, ft, 2 1/4 lengths.

Making his first career trip to the post, DEFEATER (c, 3, Union Rags–Internal Affair, by Orientate) spoiled the debuts of the Godolphin favored entry of Colonel Bowman (Curlin) and Gershwin (Distorted Humor) to take out the Saturday finale at Fair Grounds. A firming proposition to be off as the 8-5 second favorite, the $210,000 Keeneland September yearling graduate raced last but one as Gershwin conducted his business up front. That half-brother to ‘TDN Rising Star’ Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) cut the corner going well into the lane, but Defeater had crept into it under a hold on the turn, knifed through to launch his bid three or four deep in upper stretch, bothered the rallying Colonel Bowman inside the furlong marker and proved easily best. A claim of foul by Florent Geroux aboard Colonel Bowman was disallowed by stewards.

The winner is a full to Dinar, SP, $165,912, who was third over this track in the 2019 Tenacious S.; and a half to listed winner Backdoor Kenny (Half Ours). Dam Internal Affair produced a now-freshman colt by Classic Empire who RNA’d at the 2020 Keeneland September yearling sale for $55,000. Her 2020 filly is by Empire Maker and she was bred back to Union Rags for this spring. Sales history: $210,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $30,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

O-Nice Guys Stables, Manganaro Bloodstock & Steve Hornstock; B-Royal Oak Farm & Chadds Ford Stables (KY); T-Thomas M. Amoss.

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