Multiple graded winner Queen Bee to You retired with injury

Queen Bee to You, California-bred mare who recently defeated open company at the graded stakes level, has retired after connections discovered an injury.

Queen Bee to you had been expected to make her 34th career start Saturday in the Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park. But after she wasn't entered, trainer Andrew Lerner announced the mare's retirement.

BloodHorse reports that the Queen Bee to You, owned by Christopher St. Hilaire and Adam Vali, suffered a minor right ankle injury.

Lerner termed the ailment "nothing serious," adding that Queen Bee to You would have required two to three months on the sidelines. Connections intended to enter her into a November sale at the end of this season anyway.

"It made more sense," Lerner told BloodHorse, "to take her out of training now and get her bred to a nice stallion in Kentucky and let her have her life as a momma."

Queen Bee to You had won three straight races, most recently Santa Anita's La Canada Stakes (G3) in January. Before that, she won the Bayakoa Stakes (G3) in December and the Betty Grable at Del Mar in November.

She retired with an 8-11-5 record in 33 starts, with total earnings of $658,770. Breeding plans are pending.