Three Rules Looms Large in Dr. Fager Stakes

Shade Tree Thoroughbreds' Three Rules, an easy winner of his first two starts, figures to garner much of the attention in the $200,000 Florida Sire Dr. Fager Stakes for 2-year-olds Aug. 6 at Gulfstream Park.

Three Rules, by Gone Astray   out of the Full Mandate mare Joy Rules, was bred by Shade Tree along with Geoff Roy and Tom Fitzgerald. He won his debut in a maiden special weight event at Gulfstream by 3 1/2 lengths in June, and followed with a five-length score in the Birdonthewire Stakes at the Florida track in early July.

Both races were at five furlongs. The Dr. Fager, for progeny of Florida stallions, is at six furlongs.

"It was a couple weeks after I got him that I knew he was special," trainer Jose Pinchin said. "He breezed so good, and he's just a pretty horse who can really run. I've trained some good horses, but he's right up there. He's a special horse. He has got a great attitude—a great mind. For a colt, he's super calm. He's a class act."

The $200,000 Florida Sire Desert Vixen for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs attracted 13 entrants, including four by Kantharos  —Curtis Mikkelson's Cajun Delta Dawn, Bill and Vicki Poston Racing's Southern Sis, Julie Davies and Rachel Kimbell's Evvamene, and Stonestreet Stables' Perfect Kay—all of whom won at first asking.