The chart of the GII Risen Star S. running Saturday at Fair Grounds will show you that the race was won by Epicenter (Not this time) and runner-up Happy smile (Runhappy) is never a serious threat to win. It’s just that there’s so much more to this story.
Expectations are high for Smile Happy to become an Easter Star. He went 2v2 last year and his wins at GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. came with the Classic Causeway and White Abarrio (Race Day). Classic Causeway won GIII Sam F. Davis S. in the next start and White Abarrio won GIII Holy Bull S. in his 3-year-old debut. Colleague TD Thornton had a Happy smile on his head in TDN Derby Top 12 and Mattress Mack were out there doing their job, helping to push the horse to be possible Runhappybest children.
Smile Happy was a 2-1 favorite, but with the way the race went, he never had a chance to get serious.
Epicenter, a quality horse, was sent to the front by Joel Rosario and in the first turn it looked like he could face some pressure. But the Pioneers of Medina (Pioneers on the Nile) and Boddock (Street boss) back. That leaves Epicenter alone in the lead. Once he crosses the half-mile opening at: 47.94, it’s clear he’ll be hard to beat.
Meanwhile, Smile Happy finished eighth in the 10-horse race track. He could have probably won from there if the rest of the trip had broken his way, but that didn’t happen. Entering the far corner, rider Corey Lanerie found himself calloused among the horses. Throughout the turn he was unable to find a lane and once he did he remained in eighth place. The best he can do is Wednesday or Thursday. But Smile Happy closed a good ground in the last 100 yards and was only beaten to 2 3/4 length.
The third ending, Zandon (Start up) also strong efforts. He jumped at the beginning and early in the end after slow pace. Despite everything, he lost only 3 1/4 lengths.
After the race, coach Ken McPeek said he has yet to decide what comes next for Smile Happy. The GII Louisiana Derby on March 26 would be the logical match. He is sure to have one more race before the Kentucky Derby to show why so many people appreciate him so much. Next time, he won’t be defeated.
Talk about RunhappyS
Happy smile, RunhappyJim McIngvale’s best pony may have been defeated in the Resurrection Star, but it’s far from a missing date for Jim McIngvale’s favorite stallion. In Oaklawn, the fat 3-year-old Happy soul (Runhappy) took a more than eight-month break to hit a good pitch at Dixie Belle S. A decisive winner, she turned out to be an impressive endeavor.
When last seen, Happy Soul scored an 11 1/2 victory in the Astoria S. Battle of Belmont. Considering that Happy Soul has never gone beyond six laps, starting in the GI Kentucky Oaks can be a long way off, but coach Wesley Ward said the race is under consideration. Ward said she will start next at GI Ashland S. at 1/16 mile or GIII Beaumont S. April 10 in seven places. Both races took place at Keeneland. Starting out in Ashland meant that Ward was serious about the Oaks.
Breeders ‘Beginners Cup continues to go up shortly
When Pappcap (Gunman) finished eighth in the Resurrection Star, it marked the latest loss by a horse that ran in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Pappacap placed second in last year’s Juvenile award.
There are 11 starters in the Juniors and no winner since that race. They’re a 0 for 9 match. Five junior starters haven’t run since the Breeders’ Cup, a list that includes the winner. Corniche (Quality Sugar). He hasn’t trained this year and there are no updates on his schedule. It is unlikely that coach Bob Baffert is ready for the Derby.
Perseverance pays off for the tailor Connectionion
He may not be a superstar, but few horses in the sport are more admirable than a seven-year-old boy. Wire loom (Curlin).
It was purchased for $150,000 at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Midatlantic Fall sale by owner Ellen Charles and sent to trainer Rodney Jenkins. It was soon clear what they had. Cordmaker, who was organized before launching his career, is one of those tough old professionals who just gets there and tries one at a time.
He joined GIII General George S. in Laurel Saturday with 13 career wins overall and nine equity wins. But he never won a graded bet amount.
In the end, he finished it, defeating General George by 3/4 of the length. It was his fourth win in a row, all bets. At seven, he’s never been better, and with $989,640 in career earnings, he could cross the $1 million mark in earnings on his next start.
The case of Marcus Vitali Meth
Marcus Vitali should have been left out of the sport a long time ago. His record is as bad as it has been achieved. And shame on songs like Turf Paradise and Presque Isle Downs that opened the door for him.
But that doesn’t mean Vitali is guilty of the latest charge, a one-year suspension and $10,000 fine handed out by the Pennsylvania Racing Commission after the horse he ran last summer at the Presque Isle Downs tested positive for methamphetamine. In defense of Vitali, Todd Mostoller, executive director of the Pennsylvania Horsemen’s Protection and Benevolence Association, which represents riders at Penn National and the Presque Isle Downs, said that the methamphetamine positive was due to contamination. environment and Vital shouldn’t have. ban
He most likely has a point. It is generally assumed that feeding horses methamphetamine will not improve performance and human use of the drug is rampant.
But the bigger issue is whether Vitali will be treated differently because he is, well, Marcus Vitali. Mostoller said there have been “three or four” other people who tested positive for methamphetamine in recent months at Penn National, and in all of those cases it was ruled that the positive test result was due to environmental contamination. and the coaches are not suspended.
In 2017, a horse trained by Peter Miller tested positive for methamphetamine after running in the Pennsylvania Governors Cup at Penn National. The Pennsylvania Racing Commission ruled that there were “extenuating circumstances” and fined Miller $1,500 but did not suspend him.
Vitali has rights and must be treated like any other coach. He will fight this and he may win.
