Two-year-old colt Shirl’s Bee broke his maiden in auspicious fashion at Meydan in Dubai on Friday, Dec. 23, and will be one to follow into his 3-year-old season. A 1 ¼-length winner in his career debut, Shirl’s Bee covered 1600m in 1:38.92.
Ridden by Pat Dobbs and trained by Doug Watson, Shirl’s Bee is likely to target the UAE 2000 Guineas (G3), which will be contested in February. The Charles Fipke homebred is the seventh first-crop winner for his sire Bee Jersey, who was runner-up to Thunder Snow in the 2017 renewal of the Guineas. Shirl’s Bee is produced from Shirl’s Soul, by Perfect Soul (IRE), an unraced full sister to Perfect Shirl, winner of the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1).
Metropolitan Handicap (G1) winner Bee Jersey, the most accomplished son of Cigar Mile (G1) winner Jersey Town, is also represented this year by My Happiness, winner of the Iowa Sorority Stakes at Prairie Meadows in October, and Jersey Pearl, winner of a $100,000 maiden special weight at Keeneland.
