Sunday Rules may get another graded stakes try

ARCADIA, Calif. – Sunday Rules won her third stakes but her first against open company Wednesday in the $98,850 Kalookan Queen Stakes for female sprinters at Santa Anita. The win might lead to a return to the statebred division or an attempt at a first graded stakes win in late January.

On Thursday, trainer Phil D’Amato said he is considering the Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes for fillies and mares at seven furlongs on dirt Jan. 23 or the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint for California-bred females on the hillside turf course Jan. 30.

“She’s shown she can [run on] turf, and she has an affinity for this main track,” D’Amato said.

Owned by breeder Nick Alexander, Sunday Rules has won 7 of 8 starts and earned $444,840. Her only loss was a third in the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Los Alamitos last July. She won an optional claimer at five furlongs on turf Nov. 22 at Del Mar in her only start on grass.

The Santa Monica would be the longest race for Sunday Rules, who began her career in the summer of 2013. She won the Generous Portion Stakes for 2-year-old California-bred fillies at Del Mar in August 2013 and the Spring Fever Stakes here for California-breds last May.

In the Kalookan Queen, Sunday Rules led throughout and won by 4 1/4 lengths over Kiss At Midnight. Ridden by Mike Smith, Sunday Rules ($3.80) ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.77. Smith told D’Amato that the Santa Monica will be a good fit for Sunday Rules, who is by Tribal Rule.

“Smith is eager to stretch her out,” D’Amato said. “He said he geared her down in the last 20 yards.”