House Rules Breaks Through in Rampart

House Rules once again looked right at home at Gulfstream Park while registering a 1 ½-length victory in the $100,000 Rampart Stakes (G3).

The 4-year-old daughter of Distorted Humor collected her first graded-stakes victory in the first of eight stakes on Saturday’s Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth (G3) program, continuing her success over the main track at Gulfstream.

“It’s great. It [graded-stakes win] always helps her value and she’s well bred on top of it,” trainer James Jerkens said. “Every little bit helps.”

House Rules, who broke her maiden and was Grade 2 stakes-place twice during the 2013-2014 Championship Meet, earned her second straight stakes victory of the current season while following up a 9 ¼-length triumph in the Bal Harbour Stakes on Jan. 2.

“All her races here in Florida have been terrific,” said Jerkens, whose trainee needed to survive an inquiry before officially becoming a graded-stakes winner. “The races here with my father [Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens] were as good as she’s running now. We just have to get her to duplicate them in New York.”

The 3-1 second choice was bumped coming out of the gate but was quickly able to get a solid outside stalking position behind early pacesetter Flutterby and trackers Wedding Toast and Sheer Drama. Wedding Toast, the 4-5 favorite ridden by Jose Lezcano, and Sheer Drama, a 22-1 outsider ridden by Joe Bravo, took over along the far turn, before House Rules ranged up to House Rules made a wide move to challenge the dueling leaders on the turn into the stretch. The trio fought it out in the stretch drive with House Rules asserting herself in deep stretch to pull clear at the wire. Sheer Drama, who was steadied in the stretch, finished a head clear of Wedding Toast.

An inquiry, as well as objections by Sheer Drama’s rider and trainer (David Fawkes), was posted, but the result was declared official after a review of the video of the stretch run.

House Rules ran a mile in 1:36.93 while earning $60,760 for owner Joseph V. Shields Jr.

Jerkens said he had no definitive plans for House Rules’ next start.

“I don’t know what’s next. She probably won’t run here again,” he said. “We’ll look for something back home in New York. I’m not one to look too far ahead.

Source: Gulfstream Park Press Release