J Be K to enter stud at Gainesway

Grade 2-winning sprinter J BE K (Silver Deputy) will begin his stud career in

2009 at Gainesway Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. His fee will be $10,000 live

foal, stand and nurse.

Campaigned by Ahmed Zayat, the dark bay compiled a record of 9-5-1-0 while

amassing $440,200 in earnings.

"I am very excited to have found the perfect home for J Be K for his new

career at stud," said Zayat, who purchased J Be K for $350,000 at the 2007 Fasig-Tipton

Calder sale of select two-year olds in training. "I will be breeding my best

mares to him and will aggressively support him in the sales ring and on the

racetrack."

J Be K romped by 7 1/2 lengths in his career debut at Saratoga, completing 5

1/2 furlongs in a track-record 1:03 for trainer Bob Baffert. Transferred to

Steve Asmussen for his sophomore campaign, he posted an impressive five-length

score in a Fair Grounds allowance. J Be K failed to sparkle when stretching out

to two turns in the Louisiana Derby (G2), but he quickly rebounded when cutting

back to shorter trips. A five-length victor of the Bay Shore S. (G3), he later

captured the Woody Stephens S. (G2) and Jersey Shore S. (G3) in similarly

commanding fashion. He also finished second to Harlem Rocker (Macho Uno) in the

one-mile Withers S. (G3).

"From day one, J Be K had shown brilliant speed and what he has done after

breaking the track record at Saratoga in his first start is no surprise to me,"

Baffert said. "I always knew he had freakish talent."

"J Be K is a gorgeous and amazingly talented horse," Asmussen said. "He is

physically overpowering with a huge gaskin and hip and a very athletic body."

J Be K is out of the Grade 2-placed Major Wager (Valid Wager), a half-sister

to recent Pegasus S. (G3) winner Atoned (Repent). This is the family of multiple

Grade 2 victress Wonders Delight (Icecapade).

"J Be K is a phenomenally fast horse, who in his first start at two years

broke the 5 1/2-furlong track record at Saratoga," remarked Antony Beck,

president of Gainesway Farm. "In the spring and summer of 2008, he was easily

the best three-year-old sprinter in the U.S. I am delighted to partner with

Ahmed Zayat, a great sportsman and a keen contributor to racing."