Three Rules likely to make 2017 debut in Swale

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Among the young, up-and-coming stars training at Gulfstream Park this winter is Three Rules, who suffered his lone defeat in six starts when finishing a tiring sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Three Rules dominated the local division earlier in the season, sweeping all three legs of the Florida Sire Series while barely breaking a sweat in any of those races.

“We gave him a little rest after he returned from California and started him back in training a few days ago,” trainer Jose Pinchin said. “He won’t breeze for at least a couple of weeks.”

Pinchin said he is leaning more toward bringing Three Rules back in the seven-furlong Swale, rather than the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull, both races are here Feb. 4.

“I’ll talk it over with the owners, but right now it looks like the Swale will be first, after which hopefully we’ll be able to move forward toward the Florida Derby,” Pinchin said.

◗ Trainer Antonio Sano said the Holy Bull is his first choice to kick off the 3-year-old campaign of Gunnevera, winner of the Grade 2 Saratoga Special and more recently the $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot. Although Sano also has horses stabled at Gulfstream Park, Gunnevera has done all his training at Gulfstream Park West, where he’ll likely return to the work tab for the first time since the Delta Jackpot sometime next weekend.

◗ When last seen locally, J S Bach was capping a four-race win streak with a 1 1/2-length victory against high-priced optional-claiming company here March 19. He’ll return Sunday under similar conditions, but with one important twist – on turf, not dirt. It will be his inner-course debut for trainer Todd Pletcher in the afternoon’s main event, at 7 1/2 furlongs.

J S Bach has not won in seven subsequent starts since his victory here nearly nine months earlier, although he was stakes-placed this summer at Belmont. J S Bach is by Tale of the Cat and a half-brother to two-time turf winner Harborplace.

J S Bach is one of many potential contenders in a wide-open field that also includes morning-line favorite High Noon Rider, Rock Eagle, and Light the Night.

◗ The old pro Bull Dozer continued his resurgence at 8, winning for the third time this season and 19th time in his career when finishing full of run to win Thursday’s optional-claiming headliner for statebreds. Bull Dozer is trained by Jorge Navarro, who haltered the son of Trippi for a mere $5,000 at Parx Racing on Sept. 12. The win swelled the veteran’s career earnings to more than $565,000.