Peace Rules Transfers Sharp Turf Form To Dirt, Wins Louisiana Derby
By: John Gaver III

(Mar. 9, 2003) - When trainer Bobby Frankel got a convincing phone call from Mervin Muniz, the director of racing and racing sercrtary at Fair Grounds Race Course earlier in the week, he decided to gamble on shipping Peace Rules to New Orleans, La. to run in the Grade II Louisiana Derby on Mar. 9. Why not take a shot for a $750,000 purse, the trainer reasoned, when his charge had 2-year-old seasoning, was training brilliantly on dirt and had a pedigree suited to the main track?

As has been the case with stunning regularity the past couple of years, Frankel's gamble paid large dividends when Peace Rules, who had relinquished the lead to favored Badge of Silver at the five-sixteenths pole, re-rallied to win Fair Grounds' signature race for 3-year-olds by 2 ¼ lengths over the ever-consistent Kafwain.

Funny Cide, who made the pace, ran twice in the stretch to finish a length further back in third. Lone Star Sky, Defrere's Vixen, Badge Of Silver, Winning Fans, Prince Alphie Gohalo and Commander's Affair rounded out the official order of finish.

Peace Rules broke like a shot and was on the lead a couple of strides out of the gate, but jockey Edgar Prado took a hold of him and he rated, albeit grudgingly, behind pace-setting Funny Cide, who carved out an opening quarter-mile of :23.51 and drilled a quick half in :46.74 while being stalked on his outer flanks by Peace Rules and Badge Of Silver.

After three-quarters in a rapid 1:10.60, Funny Cide began to tire down on the rail and Peace Rules, just to his outside, and Badge of Silver, in the three-path, surged to the forefront. Badge of Silver had poked a head in front of Peace Rules at the five-sixteenths pole and looked as if he was going to draw away to a decisive victory but Peace Rules gamely rallied under right-hand urging from Prado to re-take the lead three-sixteenths of a mile from the finish.

The Thoroughbred Corp.'s Kafwain, who had been biding his time in mid-pack, rallied in the lane but was one-pace the final sixteenth of a mile and was no match for the winner, who was pulling away from his challengers a furlong from the wire. Funny Cide found another gear to get back up for third on the rail, while Badge of Silver tired significantly in the final furlong.

"My horse showed a lot of courage," said Prado. "I really liked the way he galloped out. He wasn't blowing hard at all."

Peace Rules covered a mile and a sixteenth over a "fast" track in 1:42 3/5 and returned $20.80, $6.20 and $4.60 as the 9-1 tepid fourth choice in the wagering.

With the $450,000 winner's share of the Louisiana Derby purse, the son of Jules increased his career earnings to $659,990 while winning his forth start from seven lifetime outings.

When asked about the prospects for Peace Rules' next start, Frankel said he was thinking about races in Lexington, Ky., the sight of Keeneland Race Course.

"I don't know," Frankel said. "I'll think about it. Maybe something in Lexington [Kentucky]."

Keeneland's two primary stakes races for 3-year-old colts are the nine-furlong Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI) on Apr. 5 and the mile and a sixteenth Coolmore Lexington Stakes (GII) on Apr. 19.

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