A year ago, breeder John Gunther entered a colt by his racehorse Without Parole in the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The bay was out of the Street Cry mare Mama Tembu, herself a half sibling to Stage Magic, dam of Justify , and he sold for $95,000 to Avenue Bloodstock.
"He went through the sale," said Gunther, "but there was a problem with the purchase and we ended up keeping him."
Named Without Caution, that colt broke his maiden at first asking at Saratoga Race Course July 20, beating eight other 2-year-olds by 1 3/4 lengths to become Without Parole's first U.S. winner. Earlier in the meet, Cherie DeVaux, who trains Without Caution, debuted another Without Parole juvenile, this one out of Church On Time (Honor Code). Named Good Conduct and owned by Gunther in partnership with Eurowest Bloodstock Services, that filly finished fifth.
Gunther campaigned the colt's sire, who began his career with a four-race winning streak in England, the streak culminating with a win in the 2018 St. James's Palace Stakes (G1T). A son of Frankel , Without Parole went on to race in France and Dubai before concluding his career in the United States.
"We gave him some time off after his 3-year-old year, and then we thought we'd give him a chance to earn some black type here," said Gunther. "He ran in some big races in the United States, and he almost won the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T). He got boxed in and was a charging third in that grade 1. He was just a very, very good horse."
Though winless after the St. James's Palace, Without Parole retired with earnings of $963,030 and began a stud career in England at Newsells Park Stud.
"We wanted to send a mare to him from Justify's family," said Gunther, "and she came back to the United States with Without Caution in utero. We bred several mares there and brought the foals back to race, and we keep some mares there now."
Without Caution lived up to his name in his debut; another juvenile in the race dropped his jockey in the post parade and ran off, and Without Caution kept his cool. He raced professionally, unintimidated while running among horses and responding willingly when Jose Lezcano urged him at the eighth pole.
"I wasn't sure how he was going to handle all of this because he can be a little immature," said DeVaux. "He handled it all well. He broke well and put Jose in a great spot. He had no issues being inside and he didn't look like he was bothered being behind horses."
Without Caution's win came at nine furlongs on the turf, a strategic advantage in establishing Without Parole's stallion career.
"We've been focusing on precocity, looking at which horses we can run early and move forward, to help the sire in England," explained DeVaux. "These types of races really matter. Early races going short don't hold as much weight as a horse coming over here and running two turns."
