Lightly raced Sunday Rules puts unbeaten streak on the line
ARCADIA, Calif. – Undefeated stakes winner Sunday Rules has raced sparingly in her career but has been a brilliant winner of each start.
Sunday Rules has won three sprint races by a combined 21 3/4 lengths over the last 20 months, including the Generous Portion Stakes for California-bred 2-year-old fillies at Del Mar in August 2013.
Trainer Phil D’Amato expects that winning streak to continue when Sunday Rules makes her 2015 debut in an optional claimer for fillies and mares going 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on Thursday.
“She always impresses you in the morning,” D’Amato said. “She’s trained like a more mature filly in the morning, and hopefully that will translate in the afternoon.”
After winning twice at 2, Sunday Rules raced once as a 3-year-old in 2014, winning an optional claimer at Santa Anita in June. She was sidelined by illness and an injury for the rest of 2014.
“She got sick at Del Mar, and she had a little suspensory issue,” D’Amato said. “We gave her time after that. I’ve been taking it slow. I do have high expectations in my mind, but she’ll have to show it in the afternoon.”
Sunday Rules, by Tribal Rule, races for breeder Nick Alexander. D’Amato said Thursday’s race could be a prep for the $150,000 Spring Fever Stakes for California-bred older fillies and mares at six furlongs May 23.
Sunday Rules, who will be ridden by Tyler Baze, is likely to set the pace in a field of five in Thursday’s second race.
“She’s training great and always trains great,” D’Amato said. “We’ve been waiting and waiting for a race to go, and it finally went.”
Thursday’s race will be a stern test. The field includes Scherzinger, who won the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes at seven furlongs in January 2014. Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Scherzinger has not raced since finishing third behind Iotapa in the Grade 1 Vanity Stakes at 1 1/8 miles last June.
Scherzinger has been formidable around one turn in races on dirt or synthetic tracks, winning four of seven starts in her nine-race career.