Sea Bee Salute brings proven turf form to El Joven Stakes

Trainer Shane Wilson has long believed Sea Bee Salute would prove to be at his best around two turns, and on Wednesday night the colt gets his first chance to stretch out in the $75,000 El Joven at Retama Park near San Antonio.

The El Joven, for 2-year-olds at a mile on turf, will share a card with the $75,000 La Senorita for 2-year-old fillies at a mile on the grass. The races are the first Thoroughbred stakes of the mixed meet at Retama.

The field of 10 for the El Joven includes Valiant Defender, who won at two turns on turf in his only start, and Tale Twister, a maiden who exits a runner-up finish in a division of the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity at Lone Star Park.

Sea Bee Salute invades from Evangeline Downs, where he won a maiden special weight at about five furlongs on turf in his second start July 24. The Beyer Speed Figure of 53 that he earned is the best turf number in the El Joven.

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“I don’t think he’s a five-eighths horse with his pedigree,” Wilson said. “He’s a Midshipman, and Midshipman won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He’s out of a Tapit mare. Nothing about his pedigree says he should be able to run five-eighths of a mile. That’s just what was offered over there.

“Everything he’s done, it seems like he wants to go further. I think he’s doing what he really wants to do this week.”

Sea Bee Salute will break from post 7 under Tommy Pompell.

“He should sit close,” Wilson said. “Stretching out from five-eighths to a mile, he’ll be able to put himself right there.”

Kevin and Patricia Fontenot purchased Sea Bee Salute for $27,000 as a yearling during the Keeneland September auction in 2018. The horse’s dam, Bamboozle, is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner and stallion Tiz Wonderful, noted Wilson. Sea Bee Salute was favored in his career debut when second in a turf sprint June 21, then came back and rallied for a 1 1/2-length win last out and was supplemented to the El Joven.

“He’s a really nice colt,” Wilson said. “He’s just been so easy to handle. He came in, rock and rolled through the program, and this seems like a logical spot.”

Valiant Defender was a two-length winner of a maiden special weight over 7 1/2 furlongs on turf July 6 at Lone Star. The win makes the Stay Thirsty colt the lone El Joven starter with a win at two turns. Valiant Defender will break from the rail with Iram Diego aboard for breeder and owner H V Farms and trainer Steve Asmussen.

The La Senorita field of seven includes Cedar Hall, who was a sharp maiden special weight sprint winner July 6 at Lone Star in her debut. She’s since run fourth in the six-furlong Prairie Gold Lassie at Prairie Meadows, and on Wednesday night will make her first start on turf. Cedar Hall is by Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Bayern, a young stallion who showed no turf winners from a very limited sample of turf starters through Friday. Her dam, meanwhile, has produced a runner who is placed on the grass. Lane Luzzi has the mount for Gentry Farms and trainer Danny Pish.

The chief threat could be Twirling Around, a maiden special weight winner July 20 at Lone Star who will be making her two-turn and turf debut. Her sire, Twirling Candy, gets 16 percent winners on turf, while her dam was a winner on the grass. J.R. Caldwell trains the filly for Keene Thoroughbreds.