From Los Alamitos Publicity
CYPRESS, Calif. (June 29, 2019) – Taking on males in her first start for trainer Andrew Lerner, Queen Bee to You, the third longest shot in the field at 10-1, held on to defeat 16-1 outsider Tule Fog by a nose in the $100,351 Bertrando Stakes Saturday, opening day of the Summer Thoroughbred Festival at Los Alamitos.
After battling with the eventual runner-up and 4-5 favorite King Abner early, the 5-year-old daughter of Old Topper and the Touch Gold mare Silk Queen opened a clear lead entering the long stretch, then held off a rejuvenated Tule Fog late to narrowly prevail.
Ridden by Ruben Fuentes, Queen Bee to You, who is owned by Christoper St. Hilaire and Adam Vali, completed the mile in 1:35.95. The win was her fifth in 27 starts and the $60,000 payday pushed her bankroll to $410,419. She paid $23.80, $10.60 and $4.
It was the first stakes success for Lerner, 30, who was first involved in racing as an owner before getting his trainer’s license some two years ago.
“It is very exciting,’’ he said. “I was getting nervous down the stretch. I was screaming. We decided to take a shot running her in here and it worked out.’’
Tule Fog, who was trying dirt for the first time after 14 consecutive races on turf, wound up four lengths clear of Grecian Fire, the 5-2 second choice. Tule Fog returned $13.60 and $4.60 while the show price on Grecian Fire, who also ran third in the 2018 Bertrando, was $3.
There was no storybook conclusion to Soi Phet’s career.
The 11-year-old gelding, who had won the Bertrando in both 2014 and 2018 and was a five-time stakes winner at Los Alamitos, finished sixth and last in his final start.
The son of Tizbud, who became a millionaire with his narrow victory in this race 12 months earlier, will be shipped in the coming weeks to Old Friends, a thoroughbred retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky.
Claimed for $16,000 May 23, 2013 by trainer Leonard Powell for a partnership that includes his wife Mathilde, the Benowitz Family Trust and Paul Viskovich, Soi Phet finished his career with 15 wins in 64 starts and earnings of $1,023,566. He was 14-for-48 for his current connections.
He Will finished fourth Saturday and King Abner, who was seeking his second local win, checked in fifth.
Apprentice jockey J.C. Diaz was the riding star Saturday. He won three races, taking the opener with Scrappy Deville for Powell, the fourth with 7-1 shot Dieci and the seventh with Implicitly.
Racing resumes Sunday at Los Alamitos. Post time is 1 p.m.