Grand Prairie, Texas (Sunday, May 6, 2018) - Charles E. Fipke's Bee Jersey (Jersey Town) became a graded stakes winner with his 5 1/2 length victory in the $200,000 Steve Sexton Mile (Gr. III) at Lone Star Park, defeating Girvin (Tale of Ekati), a Grade 1 winner of $1.59 million.

Jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. took the four-year-old chestnut colt straight to the lead, where he set the pace and was never contested, crossing the wire for the mile race in 1:36.78. Second placed Girvin fell in behind rivals, where he stayed until passing some on the outside through the far turn, was set down wide into the stretch, but was only able to take second, a length in front of Shotgun Kowboy (Kodiak Kowboy), who tracked the pace throughout behind the winner.

Bee Jersey, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, improved his career record to 9-4-3-1 and earnings to $326,293.

Bee Jersey was the betting favorite at 1.10-1 and returned $4.20, $2.60 and $2.10. Girvin returned $3.20 and $2.20. Shotgun Kowboy returned $2.20. The remaining order of finish was Futile, South Beach, Oh So Regal and Franco.

Post-race quotes from Steve Sexton Mile

Winning trainer – Hall of Famer, Steve Asmussen: "I think he's just another example of the Fipke breeding program and success its had over the past few years.  We feel he's possibly in the same caliber as Jersey Town, another good grade 1 miler.  I was looking at the time, and this was probably the slowest quarter he's run for us, but I think the final time was pretty good for the track today. It meant a lot to win the Steve Sexton Mile, being here at Lone Star since it started and everything that Lone Star means to me."

Winning jockey - Ricardo Santana, Jr.: "He's an amazing horse. He broke really good from the gate, and I took the lead nice and comfortable."