Queen Bee to You transferred to Andrew Lerner

ARCADIA, Calif. – Queen Bee to You, second in two stakes for California-breds at Santa Anita earlier this year, was recently transferred to trainer Andrew Lerner after previous trainer Michael Pender was given a 30-day suspension earlier this month for animal welfare violations.

In a ruling issued on June 7, Santa Anita stewards Grant Baker, Luis Jauregui and Kim Sawyer suspended Pender from June 14 to July 13 for issues involving the condition of the gelding New Karma.

According to a complaint filed by California Horse Racing Board investigators, Pender worked New Karma at Santa Anita on March 24 even though he had been advised by a veterinarian earlier this year that the 7-year-old had a fracture in a foreleg.

New Karma worked a half-mile in 47.80 seconds. He was entered to race at Golden Gate Fields on April 6, but was withdrawn by official veterinarians.

Pender’s case was heard by Santa Anita stewards on May 13, leading to the June 7 hearing. He was cited for rules related to training, ensuring the condition of a horse, and animal welfare.

On the weekend of May 18-19, Pender was told by Santa Anita officials to vacate his stalls on the backstretch.

Pender, 53, has won five races with 45 starters this year. He has won such prestigious races as the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Hollywood Park in 2012 and Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar in 2013 with Jeranimo. Pender won the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita with Lombo in 2018.

Aside from Lerner, trainer Bob Hess Jr. has also received horses previously trained by Pender.

Queen Bee To You has won 4 of 26 starts and earned $350,419. She was second in the Fran’s Valentine Stakes at a mile on turf for statebred fillies and mares on May 12.