Turf Paradise: Complete Rule makes stakes debut in Mesa

PHOENIX – In her last two starts, Complete Rule has looked like a very good 4-year-old filly in the making. Now it’s time to find out how good she might be, when she faces stakes horses for the first time Saturday in $35,000 Mesa Handicap for fillies and mares at Turf Paradise. Seven are entered going 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track.

Owned by H & E Ranch and trained by David Van Winkle, Complete Rule rallied for second after a troubled start and wide trip in her career debut here Dec. 5. It was a most encouraging first run, and judging by her next two starts she learned her lessons well. From there she blasted maidens by 10 3/4 lengths (68 Beyer) here Dec. 23, and romped by 8 1/4 lengths in a first-level allowance sprint Jan. 16 (72 Beyer).

This is obviously a much tougher task, but Complete Rule clearly has a ton of upside. Juan Rivera, aboard for all three of her starts, stays with her at 117 pounds.

Hard Seven is the 121-pound highweight in the Mesa. Hard Seven, a multiple stakes winner, comes off a smart win in the Sun City Handicap at a mile on the turf here Feb. 18. While all of her stakes wins have come on turf, Hard Seven won an allowance sprint on this main track last November by 13 1/2 lengths, so the surface is no problem for this daughter of multiple Grade 1 dirt winner Rock Hard Ten. Glenn Corbett rides Hard Seven for trainer Dan McFarlane.

Cell Line Forever, second to Hard Seven in the Sun City, gets in at 119 pounds. Three of her four wins have come on turf, but she has won on this main track. Jake Barton is aboard.

Jaws n’ Paws invades from Southern California where she has won 3 of her last 4. The three wins came on dirt at Santa Anita; the one loss came on synthetic footing at Hollywood Park. Her 6-for-9 dirt record shows this is her preferred footing.

When Jaws n’ Paws won Jan. 19 for $16,000 she was claimed away from trainer Robertino Diodoro. She came right back to beat $20,000 foes Feb. 16 and Diodoro snatched her right back. It’s most encouraging he brings her back in a spot where she can’t be claimed away. Jorge Carreno rides at 120 pounds.

Notis Her merits respect off two straight allowance wins here.