Breaking the Rules looks to rebound in Poker Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – A surface switch, the addition of blinkers, and perhaps just maturity had Breaking the Rules developing into a nice grass horse for trainer Shug McGaughey.

Then came the Grade 1 Turf Classic last month at Churchill Downs, where Breaking the Rules finished last of 13. Perhaps it was the off going that proved his undoing, but it was certainly a setback for the well-bred son of War Front.

On Sunday, Breaking the Rules will try to rebound in the Grade 3, $300,000 Poker Stakes at Belmont Park. The Poker, scheduled for one mile over the Widener turf course, drew a field of nine with no discernible favorite. Clyde’s Image is coming off two placings in Grade 1 stakes, but those were at long odds.

Breaking the Rules began his career with two wins on dirt. After he lost his next three starts over that surface, McGaughey switched him to turf and put blinkers on him. Breaking the Rules finished third in his first start on turf but followed with two straight wins, including the Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream last Dec. 29. In his first graded try, he lost by a head to Krampus in the Grade 3 Canadian Turf at Gulfstream.

“I thought he would be better on the turf all along, but I wanted to try him on the dirt,” McGaughey said. “His dirt races were good. He got beat by some pretty decent horses.”

Among the horse Breaking the Rules lost to on dirt were subsequent stakes winners Prince Lucky and Patternrecognition.

Breaking the Rules was one of two horses McGaughey brought to Churchill Downs for the first Saturday in May. He felt Breaking the Rules was training as well for his race as Code of Honor was for the Kentucky Derby. Code of Honor finished third and was elevated to second with the disqualification of Maximum Security.

McGaughey is hoping Breaking the Rules simply didn’t care for the wet Churchill turf.

“I hope it was just the turf. He seemed to be doing good going into it, he just didn’t run any good,” McGaughey said. “He came out of it fine.”

John Velazquez will ride Breaking the Rules for the first time in the Poker.

Others entered include Clyde’s Image, Dr. Edgar, Hembre, Krampus, Master Merion, Therapist, and Ticonderoga.