Three Straight Stakes Victories for Queen Bee to You
Arcadia, CA (January 11, 2020) – Like fine wine, newly turned 6-year-old Queen Bee to You continues to improve with age. Scoring her third straight stakes win and second straight in graded company, the Tommy Town-bred daughter of Old Topper got her nose down when it meant the most in the $200,500 La Canada Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.
Second choice in the wagering, Queen Bee to You was able to find a inside run just off the early pace of Der Lu. Keeping her rail skimming trip, she engaged the pacesetter midway down the backstretch and the race was on. The two stayed locked in battle round the turn and the full length of the stretch. Headed during the final furlong, she would not be denied and victory was hers at the line.
“I thought my horse was getting rank, but the pace was a little slow and that’s why she was pulling” said winning rider Ruben Fuentes. “Thankfully the rail was open and I took that spot, I realized I was going a little slow so I said I’m in the perfect spot. Once she made the lead, she relaxed real nice. My plan was to angle outside and put the pressure on the other filly (Der Lu), but we ended up inside and she fought back.”
Trainer Andrew Lerner told TVG’s Kurt Hoover this was the best race the mare has run. “She has been training so well, she coming into each race so happy and doing so extremely well,” Lerner added in the post race interview. “The plan wasn’t to be that close but in the paddock she was so much on the muscle, I told Ruben, ‘She’s not gonna let you hold her back this time.’ So I got a little nervous that he wasn’t able to get outside but what a brilliant ride by Ruben he’s just done so good for us.”
“She’s just one of those gritty mares that wants to win. She’s just all heart and you gotta love horses like that.”
Racing for the Partnership of An Equal Amount of Blueberries and Adam Vali, Queen Bee to You takes her earnings to $658,770. An 8-time winner, she has finished in the top three in 24 of her 33 starts. She was produced by the Touch Gold mare, Silk Queen.