Be Bee (NZ) Remains Unbeaten in Golden Horseshoe

Unbeaten Karaka graduate Be Bee (NZ) stepped up to the big time and delivered a blockbuster performance in the Listed S$325,000 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe (1200m) at Kranji on Friday.

The son of Showcasing, bought for $220,000 as a yearling before joining trainer Shane Baertschiger’s stable at the 2016 Ready to Run Sale, was thrown in at the deep end in the two-year-old feature after making a winning debut just 10 days earlier.

But Be Bee handled the quick turnaround and the big step up in class in superb style, rushing home from a midfield position with John Powell in the saddle to score a clear-cut win by a length and three-quarters.

“Thanks to Jerry Sung who has paid a lot of money for this horse,” Baertschiger said. “The horse was probably overs, but it’s not easy to back up 10 days later and it was only his second start.

“But he’s always shown us a lot from Day 1. JP (John Powell) has done a lot with him, but unfortunately could not ride him at his debut as he had 50 kilograms in a two-year-old and three-year-old race.

“It’s good he was able to ride him and win the big race with him tonight. He had him in a great spot saving ground on the rails, the horse mis-strode coming to the turn, but he quickened up good after that. He will now go for the Juvenile Championship in three weeks’ time.”

It was the second year in a row that a Karaka graduate has won the Golden Horseshoe. The Festival Sale graduate Lim’s Racer (NZ) (Red Giant) won it in 2016.

Be Bee was bred by Marie Leicester, who has also hit headlines this season as the breeder of Karaka Million and Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes heroine Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands).

He was offered by Haunui Farm at the 2016 Select Sale, where Glen Harvey Bloodstock bought him for $220,000. He returned later that year in Ascot Farm’s draft for the Ready to Run Sale, where Baertschiger secured him for $250,000.