NEWS

WinStar goes for rare triple with Rule in Jackpot

Posted: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 5:20 PM

RULE

Coady Photography

by Jeff Lowe

After prepping with a track-record performance, Rule will pursue Delta Downs’ biggest prize on Friday night in the $750,000 Boyd Gaming’s Delta Jackpot Stakes (G3).

A victory would complete a unique triple for owner WinStar Farm’s roster of two-year-old colts. WinStar won the Hollywood Prevue Stakes (G3) on November 21 with American Lion and Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) on November 28 with Super Saver.

“We’re going for the trifecta, the two-year-old trifecta,” Elliott Walden, WinStar’s racing manager, said with a laugh on Tuesday afternoon. “We’ve had a great fall, and we’re excited about it. The nice thing about the fall is that they’re all two-year-olds running, and we have next year to look forward to.” 

Rule already has distinguished himself, leading at every point of call in the $175,000 Jean Lafitte Stakes on November 6 at Delta. He drove away to a nine-length win and completed one mile on a track rated as fast in 1:37.45, which eclipsed Freon Flier’s track record of 1:37.52 from 2002.

Trainer Todd Pletcher shipped Rule to Churchill Downs after the Jean Lafitte to train up to the Jackpot. Rule will reunite with jockey John Velazquez, who was aboard for his maiden win going a mile on October 8 at Belmont Park. Corey Lanerie rode the colt in the Jean Lafitte.

“We were just looking for the easiest spot [in the Jean Lafitte], trying to make him a stakes winner, and Todd was acceptable to it,” Walden said. “It’s not an easy ship down there, and that’s what made it an easier spot than the Nashua [Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct] or the Iroquois [Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs], which were run around the same time. While we were hopeful that he would run well and come back for the Jackpot, it was more of a one-race plan, to try to make him a stakes winner.”

Rule, by Roman Ruler, is the first foal out of the Personal Flag mare Rockcide, a half sister to 2003 champion three-year-old male Funny Cide. WinStar bred Funny Cide.

“[Rule is] the first foal out of the mare, and the stakes win is very important,” Walden said. “He didn’t really surprise us, the way he ran, but he was coming off a maiden win and we try to be realists. We like to be objective about our horses. He didn’t surprise me, but I was very pleased.”

Jockey Kent Desormeaux will return to his home state to pilot California-based stakes winner Gallant Gent, the slight favorite on the morning-line at 2-to-1, with Rule pegged next at 5-to-2.

Gallant Gent prevailed in the seven-furlong C. B. Afflerbaugh Stakes on the dirt at Fairplex Park on September 16 (video) and then finished third behind Lookin At Lucky and Pulsion in the Norfolk Stakes (G1) on October 4 at Santa Anita Park (video).

Most recently, Gallant Gent finished seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) (video).

The Jackpot’s field of nine also includes stakes winners Uh Oh Bango, Grand Slam Andre, Bench the Judge, My Time to Star, and Oak Motte, and Belmont maiden winner Litigation Risk.

Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer

Boyd Gaming's Delta Jackpot S.