RUNHAPPY’s juvenile success continued on Friday at Keeneland when Smile Happy romped in a Maiden Special Weight to earn Thoroughbred Daily News Rising Star honors.
The second Rising Star for RUNHAPPY, the colt settled into sixthafter dealing with traffic and took a quick breather. It wasn’t until they entered the final three furlongs that he showed why bettors had made him the second choice when he started rolling.
Smile Happy showed speed reminiscent of his sire as he went three wide to grab the lead leaving the bend. Brian Hernandez Jr. didn’t have to do much in the end as his mount flew to a 5 ½ length win for Lucky Seven Stable and Kenny McPeek.
The victory came on debut for Smile Happy, who caught the eye with a :59.40 five furlong breeze at Churchill Downs on the 22nd to score the bullet among 57 horses at the distance.
He was a six-figure offering both times he sold at auction and was bred in Kentucky by Moreau Bloodstock Int’l and White Bloodstock.
The colt is out of the three-time winning Pleasant Smile, who is also the dam of multiple stakes placed Wilko Run and two other winners as a 100% winning producer. She is a half-sister to stakes winner Miracle Mets and stakes-placed Proud Sunset with the extended family including Champion 3-Year-Old Funny Cide.