RUNHAPPY saw his good week continue on Wednesday night when Jimmy The Kid became his 16th first crop winner in a Maiden Special Weight.
Racing over six furlongs on the Penn National dirt, the Richard Vega-trained and co-owned 3-year-old went straight to the lead and never looked back as the race favorite. As the field passed the final furlong marker, Jimmy The Kid started extending his one length lead and crossed the wire three lengths in front.
A $172,000 yearling purchase who also brought $165,000 as a weanling during two of his three trips through the ring, Jimmy The Kid is owned by Robert and Teresa Brittingham, James Wasserson, Louis Bisso Jr, and Vega.
Bred in Kentucky by Thomas and Renee Scucci, Dividing Ridge Farm, and Doug Smith, Jimmy The Kid is the third winner for four runners out of Switcheroo. That mare is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner and Grade 1-placed I Spent It, with Grade 2 and Grade 1-placed Zavata under Jimmy The Kid’s third dam. This is also the family of multiple Grade 1 winner and successful sire Dixie Union.
Jimmy The Kid is the eighth winner of the year for Runhappy, the most of any second crop sire in 2021 with three winners in five days led by Gander Stakes winner Nicky The Vest on Sunday.