Next Step for Undefeated Three Rules

After overwhelming rivals in his first three starts, Shade Tree Thoroughbreds' Three Rules will try to make it four straight wins when the juvenile son of Gone Astray   returns in the $300,000 Affirmed Division of the Florida Sire Stakes Sept. 3 at Gulfstream Park.

Three Rules opened the three-race Florida Sire Stakes series with a seven-length score in the six-furlong Dr. Fager division Aug. 6 at Gulfstream. He will stretch out a bit for trainer Jose Pinchin in the seven-furlong Affirmed Division on Saturday.

Gulfstream publicity reports that owner Bert Pilcher (Shade Tree Thoroughbreds) has turned down several lucrative offers to purchase the colt. Pinchin is only too happy to continue training and developing the rising star.

"It's so rewarding. It's a lot of fun," Pinchin said. "I don't know what to compare it with."

Three Rules, indeed, has been beyond compare at Gulfstream this season. Starting with his June 10 debut in a maiden special weight and followed by an easy win in the July 2 Birdonthewire Stakes, Three Rules has won his three races by a combined 15 1/2 lengths.

Also Saturday, Curtis Mikkelsen's juvenile filly Cajun Delta Dawn will bring her perfect record into the $300,000 Susan's Girl Division of the Florida Sire Stakes at Gulfstream.

The daughter of Kantharos   won the opening leg of the 2-year-old filly series, the Desert Vixen division, with a narrow victory over Lu Lu Laura Aug. 6 at Gulfstrream. 

"She's a very unassuming horse," said her trainer David Fawkes. "You would not guess that she would be as good as she has been."

The Florida-bred filly may be unassuming around the barn, but she has been a most assertive filly while guided on the racetrack by jockey Juan Leyva.

"You never have to worry about her in a race. She's not rank. She's not chicken racing inside," said Fawkes, who has enjoyed considerable success in the FSS series, including Big Drama's sweep in 2008. "Juan can do anything he wants."

Stonehedge's Lu Lu Laura and Sandra Trotter's U S Diva, who finished second and third, respectively, in the Desert Vixen, are set for a return to FSS action as well.