Sunday Rules brings high speed to Great Lady M.

Jockeys aboard the other speed in Saturday’s $200,000 Great Lady M. (G2) at Los Alamitos face a choice: they can try to run with Sunday Rules or take back because the talented speedster will be on the lead.

Unbeaten and lightly-raced, the four-year-old filly knows only one way to go, blazing the way up front in all five career starts. Sunday Rules completes the opening quarter-mile in less than 22 seconds every time and has never been headed at any point of call.

A California-bred daughter of Tribal Rule, Sunday Rules is two for two at the 6 ½-furlong distance, winning a June 14 allowance/optional claimer by 8 ¾ lengths before coming back from a 10-month layoff to post a 2 ½-length decision at Santa Anita on April 30, registering a career-best 102 BRIS Speed rating.

The Philip D’Amato trainee exits a three-length tally in the restricted Spring Fever at six furlongs on May 23 and Sunday Rules will make her first start at the graded level in the nine-horse Great Lady M. Tyler Baze retains the mount.

Warren’s Veneda displayed excellent route form over the winter, capping a three-race stakes-winning streak with a 7 ¼-length romp in the March 14 Santa Margarita (G1), but she’s lost two straight and trainer Craig Lewis will cut his charge back to a sprint, using the Great Lady M. as a prep for the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch (G1) at Del Mar on August 1.

The five-year-old mare has dropped her last four attempts sprinting and Warren’s Veneda loses Baze to Sunday Rules, with Joe Talamo picking up the assignment on the late runner.

Fantastic Style exits a front-running victory in the May 16 Angels Flight at Santa Anita and the Bob Baffert-trained sophomore filly finished third in the Beaumont (G2) at Keeneland two back. Rafael Bejarano rides and Fantastic Style figures to be pushing Sunday Rules from the break.

Amaranth, a wire-to-wire winner of the June 14 Desert Stormer, adds more speed to the equation from her rail post.

Living the Life, a rallying heroine in the Presque Isle Masters (G2) last September, is more proven on synthetic tracks, recording a pair of stakes wins, but a hot pace could benefit the dedicated closer. Mike Smith will be up for Gary Mandella.

Clearly Confused also figures to be hitting her best stride in the stretch. A closing third in the Madison (G1) at Keeneland two back, the reformed claimer possesses a 6-3-2-0 mark at this distance and will try to improve upon a fourth in last year’s edition.

Harlington’s Rose, Legacy and Ramona’s Wildcat round out the field.

Sunday Rules photo courtesy of Benoit Photos