COMEBACKING SUNDAY RULES HEADS SUNDAY’S $100,000 SPRING FEVER HANDICAP

By Mike Willman —-

COMEBACKING SUNDAY RULES HEADS SUNDAY’S $100,000 SPRING FEVER HANDICAP FOR CALIFORNIA-BRED OR SIRED FILLIES & MARES AT SIX FURLONGS
STATE-BRED FEATURE TO HIGHLIGHT 10-RACE CARD ON SUNDAY AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 16, 2017)—Idle since July 4, Nick Alexander’s highly accomplished homebred Sunday Rules looms large among a field of six older fillies and mares bred or sired in California in Sunday’s $100,000 Spring Fever Handicap, to be contested at six furlongs over Santa Anita’s main track.Sunday Rules will be facing several sharp distaffers, including Reddam Racing’s homebred Smoove It, who hopes to transfer her recent turf form to dirt.

SUNDAY RULES: Trained by Phil D’Amato, this lightly raced 6-year-old mare by Tribal Rule defeated state-bred males three starts back going six furlongs in the California Cup Sprint here on Jan. 30, 2016 and she’s won eight of her 11 starts, including three out of four, at the Spring Fever distance.Fourth as the 1-5 favorite in this race on July 4, Sunday Rules would appear to be the quickest of the quick as she breaks from post five with top weight of 126 pounds.She has earnings of $541,840.

SMOOVE IT: Trained by Doug O’Neill, she was second, beaten 3 ¼ lengths in the 6 ½ furlong Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf here on Jan. 28, which marked her first start after being away since late May of last year. Winless in five tries on dirt, this 6-year-old Square Eddie mare is 27-5-6-4 overall with earnings of $371,265.

THE SPRING FEVER HANDICAP WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 7 of 10 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

1. Cuddle Alert—Agapito Delgadillo—119
2. Smoove It—Mario Gutierrez—124
3. Late ’n Left—Edwin Maldonado—118
4. Kiss At Midnight—Flavien Prat—120
5. Sunday Rules—Tyler Baze—126
6. Allsquare—Santiago Gonzalez—120

First post time for a 10-race card on Sunday is at 12:30 p.m. Admission gates open at 10:30 a.m.For scratches, changes and complete morning line information, please visit santanita.com.