Miss Sunset makes it look easy in Generous Portion
DEL MAR, Calif. – Miss Sunset will be sorry to see Del Mar end. She was an easy debut winner on July 30, and on Saturday stepped up into stakes company and turned in an even more-impressive performance, crushing her rivals by 5 1/4 lengths in the $150,000 Generous Portion Stakes for 2-year-old California-bred fillies.
Miss Sunset ($3) was favored off her 4 3/4-length victory first time out, and the result in start No. 2 never looked in doubt. She was second in the early going, just behind I’ll Be Around, disposed of that rival heading around the far turn, and drew away through the lane under jockey Fernando Perez.
How About Zero, making her first start, finished with good enthusiasm to be second, no match for the winner but 5 1/2 lengths clear of third-place Rocketann.
I’ll Be Around faded to fourth and was followed, in order, by You’re Late and Dixie Chick Rocks.
Jeff Bonde, who trains Miss Sunset for Alan Klein and Phil Lebherz, said he expected I’ll Be Around to lead, and instructed Perez, “Don’t burn her up early.”
“He didn’t,” Bonde said.
Bonde said the manner in which Miss Sunset won gives him confidence she’ll be able to stretch out, perhaps soon.
“I don’t think she has any distance limitations,” Bonde said. “She was pretty strong at the end.”
Miss Sunset, a daughter of Into Mischief, was bred by Klein and Premier Thoroughbreds LLC.
Bonde also trains You’re Late, who stumbled badly at the start, losing her best chance.