by Greg Gangle, WEG Communications

Toronto, ON — When Bee Fullof Steinam lines up behind the gate on Friday evening (March 2) at Woodbine to compete in the C$40,000 second leg of the Damsel Pacing Series, driver Paul MacDonell has plenty of reason to be optimistic about their chances.

A lightly-raced daughter of Life Sign-Caliterra, Bee Fullof Steinam has only had 17 career starts. She boasts an impressive record of 3-0-2 from five appearances in 2012, with $49,552 in the bank.

New Image Media photo

Bee Fullof Steinam has banked $67,884 in 17 career starts.

“She’s come a long way in a short period of time,” MacDonell said. “When I first started driving her, she was green and wasn’t the best going around the turns. But now, she’s really matured and knows exactly what it’s all about.”

Earlier in the year, Bee Fullof Steinam was the post time favorite in the $50,000 Blizzard Pacing Series final after a victory and a third-place finish in the preliminary rounds, but MacDonell was stung by the end result in the rich final.

“She finished third, but I thought she was the best horse in the race. They cancelled the races on the day of the final, so the race had to be re-scheduled and I think that threw her off her game,” MacDonell said.

MacDonell is pleased with how advanced his charge is considering her limited experience.

“She hasn’t posted that many starts in her career, but she has progressed extremely well. Every week, she gets stronger and stronger. She can come from off-the-pace or race on the front.

“The Damsel is a tougher series than the Blizzard and so far she’s responded very well. She’s going to get better with age and she’s certainly on the right path. She also has some breeding behind her, being a half-sister to a horse I’m very familiar with in Arts Diva (p,4,1:49.3s-$670,477).”

Bee Fullof Steinam will begin from post five for MacDonell on Friday evening in race six for trainer Dean Nixon and owners ICR Racing, Michael Timpano and Anthony Leber. First race post time is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.