New York grade II winner J Be K will stand at Tom Simon’s Vinery near Summerfield, Fla., for $3,000 stands and nurses. The 5-year-old son of Silver Deputy had entered stud in 2009 at the Beck family’s Gainesway Farm near Lexington for a fee of $10,000.
J Be K set a track-record of 1:03.13 for 5 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga when he broke his maiden by 7 1/2 lengths in his debut. In what proved to be his greatest score, he posted a 108 Beyer Speed Figure when he won the seven-furlong Woody Stephens Stakes (gr. II) by 5 1/2 lengths in 1:21.85 at Belmont Park as a 3-year-old.
“This horse had a lot of talent, and he’s from a sire line known for speed,” said Vinery president Tom Ludt. “I think he will appeal to Florida breeders.”
J Be K also posted wins at 3 in the Bay Shore (gr. III) and Jersey Shore (gr. III) Stakes and ran second in that year’s Withers Stakes (gr. III) at a mile. He retired with five wins from nine starts and earnings of $440,200.
J Be K is out of the graded stakes-placed Valid Wager mare Major Wager, a half-sister to graded stakes winner Atoned.
