House Rules Dominates in Bal Harbour
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Photo:
Gulfstream/Lauren King Photo
House Rules looked right at home at Gulfstream Park Friday, cavorting to a 9 ¼-length triumph in the $60,000 Bal Harbour Stakes.
The 4-year-old daughter of Distorted Humor had shown a distinct fondness for the Gulfstream main track during last year’s Championship Meet and certainly had no difficulty downing six rivals in Friday’s one-mile stakes for fillies and mares while negotiating a fast track.
“She ran some great races here for my father last winter, so I thought she’d run a good race,” trainer James Jerkens said. “She finished second to the best filly in the country (Onlyforyou) here last year. She got a good trip today and I think she really liked the glib track. Training at Palm Meadows, where the track is slower, I think that helps a lot.”
Trained by Hall of Famer Allen Jerkens last season, House Rules broke her maiden by nearly six lengths before finishing second behind the Todd Pletcher-trained Onlyforyou in the Davona Dale (G2) stakes. She also finished second in a photo finish with Pletcher-trained In Tune in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) in March before being sent to Jerkens’ son for the summer and fall racing season in the New York.
Making her first start since finishing off the board in the Comely (G3) at Aqueduct on Nov. 29, House Rules received a perfect trip under Javier Castellano, saving ground while sitting behind pacesetter U.S.S. O’Brien and a stalking Georgia past fractions of :22.96 and :45.65 before overwhelming the field through the stretch.
“She was very impressive the way she did it today. There was a hot pace at the beginning of the race that set it up for closing horses. Turning from home, she just took off and the last part I just had fun with her and just went with the rhythm,” Castellano said.
House Rules ran the mile in 1:35.78 as the 4-5 favorite. Silk n’ Sequins, a 68-1 outsider ridden by Jose Alvarez, closed to finish second, 1 ¾ lengths ahead of Georgia and jockey John Velazquez. U.S.S. O’Brien tired to finish fourth, another half-length back.
Source: Gulfstream Park Communications
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