Miss Sunset headlines Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint

A pair of recent stakes winners, Miss Sunset and Barbara Beatrice head Saturday’s $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint at 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course.  Restricted to older fillies and mares bred or sired in California, the hillside feature has attracted a field of eight.

Trained by Jeff Bonde, Miss Sunset, although well beaten in the Grade I, seven furlong La Brea Stakes here Dec. 26, was a half length winner of the seven furlong, Grade II Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland two starts back on Oct. 21.  Trainer Phil D’Amato’s Barbara Beatrice, most recently second in the seven furlong Betty Grable Stakes Nov. 12 at Del Mar, was a handy three quarter length winner down the hill two starts back of the California Distaff Handicap on Oct. 14 and must be respected.

A winner of three straight stakes prior to her La Brea flop, this 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief was a minor stakes winner down the hillside turf in her fourth career start on Feb. 12, 2017.  With seven wins from 12 lifetime starts, Miss Sunset, who will be ridden by Flavien Prat, seems a complete standout in this context.

With three wins and a second from six tries down the unique hillside turf course, Barbara Beatrice obviously loves the layout and looks like the second horse on paper.  With regular rider Tiago Pereira back aboard, she’ll hope to have Miss Sunset in her sights at the dirt crossing and will be all-out to run her down.  A 6-year-old mare by Grazen, she was bred by D’Amato and is out of his Decarchy mare, Showtime Apollo.

THE SUNSHINE MILLIONS FILLY & MARE TURF SPRINT WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 3 of 10                                                                                      Approximate post time 12:45 p.m.

1. Barbara Beatrice—Tiago Pereira—122

2. Cuddle Alert—Tyler Baze—122

3. Miss Sunset—Flavien Prat—124

4. Starlite Style—Rafael Bejarano—120

5. How Unusual—Corey Nakatani—124

6. How About Zero—Mario Gutierrez—120

7. Run for Retts—Evin Roman—120

8. Late ‘n Left—Stewart Elliott—120

 

Special early first post time for a 10-race card on Saturday is at 11:45 a.m.