Miss Sunset to skip Fran's Valentine for Desert Stormer

ARCADIA, Calif. – Miss Sunset has won two stakes for California-breds this year, but she will not start Saturday in the $100,000 Fran’s Valentine Stakes for statebred fillies and mares. Trainer Jeff Bonde said on Wednesday that Miss Sunset will be pointed for the Grade 3 Desert Stormer Stakes, a $100,000 race for fillies and mares at six furlongs on May 27.

Bonde said he envisions the $100,000 Desert Stormer as a prep for the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs at Los Alamitos on July 7. Miss Sunset was second by a nose in the Grade 1 Madison Stakes at Keeneland on April 7.

Earlier this year, Miss Sunset won the Spring Fever at six furlongs in February and the Irish O’Brien Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs in March. The Irish O’Brien was transferred from turf to dirt because of wet conditions.

The Fran’s Valentine, at one mile on turf, had a projected field of 11 as of mid-morning on Wednesday. Among that group is Cheekaboo, who won the Grade 2 Honeymoon Stakes in 2016 but has not started since finishing sixth in the 2017 Fran’s Valentine Stakes.