A. P. Rule remembered in Portugal

The A. P. RULE Special

Stakes

A mile and one eighth

Fast Dirt

$45,000

All horses, 3 years old

3518.6410

A. P. RULE was a son of Imp Society from an A.P. Indy mare who loved a flat dirt mile.  He won six stakes and was a regular triple-digit performer.  He ran for astfly for almost all of his five years until I claimed him for $7,500 on the downside of his career.  I ran him three times at all the wrong distances, then bred him as a he-mare to Distorted Humor (long before that sire’s sim upgrade) to get the useful UNCONSTITUTIONAL, who surprisingly most liked the turf.

So knowing the history of this horse, I was inspired to write up the stakes named after him, the first I’ve ever noticed named for a horse I owned.

Let’s just get a short intro to today’s sophomores:

1 6432 IN A TIZZY TED(KY)  highc  B Jackman   13/1    

Tiznow runner broke his maiden nicely with an 87 in his juvenile finale, but he has been well beaten in two similar stakes so far this year.  Not sure whether the extra half furlong is a benefit for him.

2 145706 MARIAS ICE PALACE(KY)  myclaret  M Parsons   18/1   

Poster child for the tonic of a long layoff, since he busted out with a big 90’s speed after seven weeks off.  It was also his first route on the main track, so the Maria’s Mon sophomore may finally be where he belongs.

3 140643 CITY FORTRESS(KY)  fevolution  T Waddle  9/1    

Stakes placings the last two, including one an actual half furlong longer last out in Germany.  As a City Zip/Caerleon, the speed/stamina mix seems to be working for him.

4 145377 JUST A LEGEND(JPN)  mav1764  S Ayers   11/1

Arrives of three very nice runs in Dubai.  He’s a Deep Impact product with a terrific bottom side of the pedigree, and there is room for improvement coming off an allowance win into his first stakes.

5 22600 MAYWEATHER(KY)  lenny15  J Puschel  16/1

A three-time winner, but the last two were losses and little better than the average three-year-old this time of year.  He’ll need a good stalking trip to contend.

6 141572 LIBRAVELLIAN(ENG)  gtfc  R Fitzgerald   4/1    

The most experienced here, with seven wins from twelve attempts, but could it be too much?  He’s been running 90’s since October but could be vulnerable against an improving bunch.

7 137739 SERVILE SERVAL(KY)  oscar  R Dunaway   5/1

Golden Missile colt is a regular check earner in dirt stakes and dangerous in the lane.  He gets a good jockey, and his best is good enough.

8 133915 SIMPLE PASSING(IRE)  lenny12  D Burton   8/1   

Montjeu guy has two stakes-winning kin, but hasn’t pulled off the feat himself.  He’s been a pacemaker in two recent stakes, but has been unable to hold his lead.

9 91602 PUTNEY QUEST(ENG)  pigeon17  J Ritz   8/1

The only turf-to-dirt switcher here, but you have to try it once, why not here?  Rainbow Quest swings heavily to the green stuff, though, and Putney would have to move forward a bit to win.

10 135125 RIVERBENDER(KY)  lankajoe2  B Tate   5/1  

Four stakes wins last year, and the Borrego colt keeps inching forward in ability each race.  Have the others caught up to him, or is he a force here?

11 138651 KEPLER SADDATH(JPN)  bobo  A Tyler   9/1   

Marre Stables colt must be happy it is dry, because he’s won three straight fast track contests but failed on the wet.  A Rock of Gibraltar with the chance to make a big improvement off the fast track wins.

12 134149 REGAL AGAIN TED(MD)  mightyt  D Owen   15/1    

Waquoit runner is so much better on the dirt it isn’t funny.   He broke his maiden just in January and then improved a bit in the Count Dusty last out.