Blinkers come off Miss Sunset for Fleet Treat Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – Miss Sunset is a stakes winner in sprints on dirt and turf and at a mile on grass. Seeking her fourth stakes victory in Sunday’s $150,000 Fleet Treat Stakes for California-bred fillies at Del Mar, Miss Sunset will be racing at arguably her best distance – seven furlongs on dirt.

In recent starts, Miss Sunset has had mixed results around two turns, winning the Campanile Stakes for Cal-bred fillies at a mile on turf at Golden Gate Fields in April and finishing second in the Melair Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on dirt for Cal-bred fillies at Santa Anita on May 29.

Miss Sunset will be favored in the Fleet Treat, a role she inherited after Melair winner S Y Sky was recently turned out because of injury.

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The half-length loss in the Melair still stings trainer Jeff Bonde, who said Miss Sunset struggled to settle around two turns.

“She lugged out and gave up a lot of ground,” he said. “She beat herself last time.”

For Sunday’s race, Miss Sunset will not wear blinkers for the first time in three races. She won two sprint stakes without blinkers – the Generous Portion Stakes on dirt here last August and the Sweet Life Stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita in February.

KEY CONTENDERS

Miss Sunset, by Into Mischief
Last 3 Beyers: 82-73-71

◗ Owned by Alan Klein and Phil Lebherz, Miss Sunset has won 4 of 8 starts and earned $303,930, by far the highest earnings of the eight fillies in the Fleet Treat.

◗ Bonde said jockey Mike Smith suggested that Miss Sunset no longer race with blinkers. Smith has the mount again on Sunday aboard a filly who is expected to be part of the pace.

“She’s a free-running type,” Bonde said. “She’s had races when she wasn’t in front, but she’ll be right up there.”

Dreamy Gal, by Ez Dreamer
Last 2 Beyers: 83-54

◗ Dreamy Gal has not started since winning a maiden race for California-bred 2-year-old fillies by 8 3/4 lengths here last August. Trained by Jeff Mullins, Dreamy Gal was in training briefly last September before she was given a break over the winter.

◗ Dreamy Gal was in training at Turf Paradise in March before she resumed training at Santa Anita. Dreamy Gal has worked quickly in recent weeks. On July 3 at Santa Anita, she worked a half-mile in 46.60 seconds from the gate.