Fran’s Valentine to Face Seven at Santa Anita Today

California-bred Fran’s Valentine, who has already won more than $1 million for owner Earl Scheib, will try to add to her stature and his bank account at Santa Anita today in the $100,000 Santa Maria Handicap.

The 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares is a major prep for the $300,000 Santa Margarita Handicap on March 1.

Fran’s Valentine, with Pat Valenzuela up, will carry top weight, 121 pounds, the same as Jack Kent Cooke’s Auspiciante. Eight horses are scheduled to run in the Santa Maria.

Horse Racing Notes Gerry McKeon, president of the association that runs Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga, was elected president of the Thoroughbred Racing Assns., the 50-member trade group, at its board meeting in San Francisco Friday. McKeon succeeds Ted Bassett of Keeneland for a two-year term. . . . Mel Stute’s barn is hot. Stute’s stable got another win at Santa Anita Wednesday, by Sari’s Heroine in the Monrovia Handicap. . . . Mountain Bear, who beat female grass champion Estrapade in last year’s Santa Barbara Handicap and then finished fourth in the Eclipse Awards voting for that division, will be bred to Blushing Groom at Gainesway Farm in Kentucky. The mating is the result of a foal-sharing agreement between Dan Agnew, who owns a breeding share in Blushing Groom, and the owners of the stallion. The first foal is scheduled to be sold at a yearling auction.