by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Kimberly French

Louisville, KY — He doesn’t have a clue why she is presently such a tough customer, but Mike Micallef is clearly thrilled Just A Bee has discovered her best stride.

“I have no idea why she is so good right now,” said her conditioner and pilot. “She is just a happy horse and I haven’t done a thing with her other than just freshening her up before bringing her from Hoosier to Pompano.”

A daughter of dual hemisphere champion Mr Feelgood and the Camluck mare Tawnees Mark, the 7-year-old Just A Bee has earned $190,416 from 135 lifetime starts.

She is owned by Anita Micallef, John Mc Goff and Greg Heath and has been reminiscent of her sire during her time in the Micallef barn. She has paced 15 miles for her current connections with 10 triumphs and when she hasn’t hit the winner’s circle it might very well be only Micallef’s fault.

Skip Smith photo

Just A Bee has won her last four starts in the Mares Open at Pompano.

“I don’t want her to be too hard on herself,” he said. “Everything she has done is all on her own and she is competing against some very tough company with Pertty Music and McFlirty. They are extremely nice mares. I can’t say enough about how good she has been.”

Her dam has only dropped three foals, but Just A Bee is a half sister to A Regular Terror (Western Terror p,5,1:54.3h, $126,175) and has campaigned in Canada, New York, Indiana and Florida.

The mare finished fourth in her only qualifying start at Mohawk Racetrack a 2-year-old, then went to the gate 22 times at age 3 at Rideau Carleton, Flamboro Downs, Kawartha Downs and Batavia Downs. As a 4- and 5-year-old she raced exclusively in the Empire State and only performed at Buffalo Raceway, Batavia Downs and Tioga Downs. She almost always brought home a check.

After a barn change from Courtney Ohol to Charles Stewart and a six week vacation in early 2014, Just A Bee surfaced at Hoosier Park. While in Stewart’s care she lowered her lifetime mark by three full seconds and caught Micallef’s attention.

“I thought she would fit in really well with our program down in Florida,” he said. “But I never imagined she would do this well.”

But Micallef does admit there might be something to her new routine that she may relish.

“I let her gallop twice a week,” he said. “I just let her go around a mile.”

Just A Bee also seems to just enjoy life and may just be coming into her own as she matures.

“She is funny,” Micallef said. “She pins her ears back every time anyone comes near her, but the minute you pet her she is all over that. She is such a nice horse and once you pay attention to her, she loves it.”

The mare will remain in Florida for just a bit longer before she returns to the Midwest and commences the remainder of her season at Hoosier Park.

“They just posted the conditions and they have a $21,000 Open back in Indiana,” Micallef said. “That’s where I base my stable. I want to see if she can compete up there, but I think she can. In her last start I literally was pulling the bit out of her mouth she wanted to go so much. She’s been taking on good quality mares down here so I don’t know why she can’t do the same up there.

“I don’t think it’s just the track with her. Believe me, no one is as surprised as me she is this good right now. She’s just really enjoying herself out there and my job is just to keep her happy.”