Met Mile an option for Bee Jersey

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Bee Jersey could be headed for New York.

Bee Jersey, who won his third straight race Sunday in the Grade 3, $200,000 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park, is being considered for a start in the Grade 1, $1.2 million Met Mile on June 9 at Belmont Park, according to his trainer, Steve Asmussen.

Owned by breeder Charles Fipke, Bee Jersey was to ship back earlier this week to Churchill Downs, said Asmussen. The horse won his first stakes Sunday after taking allowances at Oaklawn and Keeneland by a combined margin of 13 3/4 lengths. He has now won 4 of 5 starts since coming under the care of Asmussen, dating back to a maiden special weight win in October 2017 at Keeneland.

Bee Jersey started his career in Dubai. He was second to Thunder Snow in the Group 3 UAE 2000 Guineas at Meydan in February 2017. Thunder Snow has since won the Dubai World Cup, while Bee Jersey, a 4-year-old bred in Kentucky, made his way back to the United States.

“We were over there with Gun Runner when he ran in the UAE Derby,” Asmussen said Monday. “He was a beautiful horse. When they sent him back to the States, we were very fortunate to get him.”

Bee Jersey is by Jersey Town, a Grade 1-winning miler for Fipke. Bee Jersey won the Sexton Mile wire to wire under Ricardo Santana Jr., running the opening quarter in 23.91 seconds. Bee Jersey proceeded to win by 5 1/2 lengths and cover the distance in 1:36.78 for a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 99.

“Twenty-three and four is the slowest quarter he ever went,” Asmussen said. “I was very surprised they let him go that easy.”

Bee Jersey defeated a field that included Girvin, the winner of last year’s Grade 1 Haskell who rallied from last for second in his first start since September, and Shotgun Kowboy, a Grade 3-winning millionaire who finished third.

“I think we locked into a really good horse,” said Girvin’s trainer, Joe Sharp.

Bee Jersey’s speed is his best asset, said Asmussen.

“He is fast,” he said. “I think he’s going to be a fabulous miler.”

The Sexton Mile capped a memorable raceweek for Asmussen, who hit a milestone of 8,000 Thoroughbred training wins in North America on Saturday at Churchill. Back home in Texas on Sunday, his family surrounded him in the winner’s circle after the Sexton Mile.

“Great week,” Asmussen said. “Mom and Dad – everyone being here. It was super.”

◗ Lone Star handled a meet-high $1,821,228 on its 10-race card from all sources Sunday. The handle was up 20 percent from $1.5 million on the comparable card in 2017, according to track officials. Sunday’s late pick four had a minimum guaranteed pool of $50,000. The final pool was $126,584 and the 50-cent wager returned $119.45. Attendance ontrack was 6,107.