Bee Jersey Retired to Darby Dan Farm

Bee Jersey , winner of this year's Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1) and Steve Sexton Mile Stakes (G3), has been retired and will stand the 2019 breeding season for $5,000, live foal stands and nurses, at Darby Dan Farm.

The 4-year-old son of Jersey Town  scored the biggest win of his career in the historic Met Mile in June. Sent off as the favorite, Bee Jersey broke on top and was never headed. He led all the way to defeat 10 graded stakes winners, including multiple grade/group 1 winner Mind Your Biscuits, stopping the clock for the one-turn mile in 1:33.13 and earning a career-high 109 Beyer Speed Figure, the co-fastest in 2018 at the distance.

The Charles Fipke homebred began his racing career in Dubai. As a 3-year-old, he finished second to subsequent U.A.E. Derby Sponsored By The Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2) winner Thunder Snow in the U.A.E. Two Thousand Guineas Sponsored By District One Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City (G3).

He broke his maiden in his first North American start at Keeneland and two starts later trounced allowance company at Oaklawn Park by six lengths in the first of four consecutive victories. A month before the Met Mile, Bee Jersey dominated the Steve Sexton Mile by 5 1/2 lengths over betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) winner Girvin , recording a 104 Beyer. 

"Bee Jersey was one of the fastest horses of the year, evidenced by the Beyer Speed Figures he ran," said Ryan Norton, stallion director at Darby Dan Farm. "He possessed raw speed, was an excellent miler, and put together tremendous back-to-back winning performances in the Steve Sexton Mile and the Metropolitan Handicap."

Trained in the U.S. by Steve Asmussen, Bee Jersey concluded his racing career with five wins from 10 starts and $976,293 in earnings.

"He's just a gorgeous, absolutely brilliantly fast horse with a great temperament," noted Asmussen.

Bee Jersey is the most accomplished son of Jersey Town, who stood at Darby Dan Farm before relocating to British Columbia. A son of Speightstown, Jersey Town was a multiple graded stakes winner of $819,668. He won or placed in nine graded stakes.

Produced from the stakes-placed Rahy mare Bees, Bee Jersey hails from the family of blue hen Weekend Surprise, dam of classic winners A.P. Indy and Summer Squall.

Bee Jersey will join a stallion roster at Darby Dan that includes Dialed In , Klimt , Perfect Soul , Poseidon's Warrior , Run Away and Hide , Shackleford , Sky Kingdom , Tale of Ekati , and Tapiture .