Infection forces Sunday Rules out of Santa Monica

ARCADIA, Calif. – Sunday Rules, the winner of the Kalookan Queen Stakes on Dec. 30, will miss Saturday’s $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes for fillies and mares at Santa Anita after a bout with a bacterial infection this week, trainer Phil D’Amato said on Wednesday.

D’Amato said Sunday Rules was found Monday to have cellulitis, a skin infection, in a hock. She has responded to treatment, he said, but won’t make the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes. D’Amato said he will point Sunday Rules to the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint for California-breds on the hillside turf course Jan. 30.

“She’s gone to training today,” he said. “Monday afternoon, we took her out to walk her, and we noticed inflammation on a hock. We started treating it with antibiotics.”

D’Amato said the cause of the infection is unclear.

“It could have been a spider bite, or she could have irritated it in the stall somehow, some way,” he said. “We caught it so early. We could have been an even-money shot. We’re doing what’s best for her.”

The Santa Monica has a projected field of eight, including Ben’s Duchess, who won the Grade 3 L.A. Woman Stakes here in October, and Prize Exhibit, who won the Grade 2 Monrovia Stakes on turf Jan. 3.

Other expected runners are Finest City, Kiss At Midnight, Kyriaki, Living The Life, Lost Bus, and Tara’s Tango.