By Jessica Martini
Tom Amoss made two trips to the winner's circle at Fair Grounds Sunday after impressive victories by a pair of juveniles. First up, Nicole Lyvere's Pranked (Into Mischief) went wire-to-wire to take her 1 1/16-mile turf debut by 4 3/4 lengths (video).
“We were really pleased with Pranked today,” Amoss said Sunday evening. “She's a high-energy horse that has settled down a lot mentally.”
Pranked, a daughter of Tightly Wound (Hard Spun), was trying the lawn for the first time and making her first attempt at a route of ground in her fourth trip to the post.
“When you look at her pedigree page, it slants to the turf,” Amoss said. “So, today you watched a filly who ran to her pedigree in a relaxed fashion, which is nice.”
Asked if the filly had found a home on the turf, Amoss said, “Her pedigree reads that way and today's race sure tends to make you think like that. We're lucky down here in New Orleans in the winter there is plenty of turf racing. So it's not as if the turf shuts down for the winter months.”
In the very next race, Amoss unveiled Maggi Moss's No Parole (Violence) against a field of fellow Louisiana-breds in a six-furlong maiden special weight. With a series of bullet works on display, the colt was sent off at 3-5 and never gave the crowd an anxious moment when romping home by 14 1/4 lengths (video).
“We expected a strong race from him,” Amoss said. “This horse prepared very well. They don't always take their morning practice to the game, but he did. We knew he was very athletic and very good from the gate and he showed all of those things today.”
As for where No Parole might start next, Amoss said, “We'll see how he is in the morning, like we do with all of our horses after they run. Then I'll get together with Maggi and we'll make a game plan.”
Amoss is hoping Sunday's two winners are just the beginning of a strong Fair Grounds meeting.
“We've got quite a few young horses at the barn that are getting ready to debut over the next month,” Amoss said. “We're excited about them.”
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