Nick Alexander's Sunday Rules (Tribal Rules), seven for eight in her career, will try to earn her first graded stakes victory in Saturday's GII Santa Monica S. The 5-year-old mare, whose only loss came when third in the GII Great Lady M S. last July, is coming off a victory in the Dec. 30 Kalookan Queen S.
Mike Smith has the mount on the front-running speedster and trainer Phil D'Amato said the Hall of Fame reinsman will have options in the seven-furlong race.
“Mike can sit second if need be, but her speed is so devastating, to utilize that and for her to carry it like she does, that's what makes her a special filly,” D'Amato said.
Smith agreed with the trainer's assessment.
“You wouldn't want to change too much,” he said. “You just want to let her get away in good order and be happy wherever she's comfortable. She's so naturally quick, she's usually up on the lead with a really high cruising speed and doing it well within herself. She's doing great right now, so whatever she's doing, we'll keep doing it, and try not to change too much.”
D'Amato has seen steady improvement in Sunday Rules, who raced twice as a juvenile and only once at three.
“She's a much bigger, stronger filly than she was as a 2-year-old. She's more mature,” he commented.
Sunday Rules worked five furlongs Sunday at Santa Anita in 1:01.80.
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