Run Classic led home a first-third finish for RUNHAPPY on Saturday when breaking his maiden in his second start at the Fair Grounds in a Maiden Special Weight.
Breaking out of the gate as the race favorite when running over 1 1/16 miles on the dirt, Run Classic battled for the lead while RUNHAPPY’s Happy American raced in the back of the pack. Run Classic was happy to sit in third down the backstretch before making his move in the far turn.
In only a matter of strides, Run Classic had not only drawn even with the leader but took over the lead to play a game of ‘catch me if you can’ in the stretch. While he was pulling away, Happy American was making his move to go from last to an easy third down the stretch.
Run Classic won by 3 ¼ lengths with Happy American missing second by only three quarters of a length.
Run Classic was a $475,000 OBS March 2-Year-Olds In Training purchase last year by race owner Tom Durant from Pick View. Trained by Bret Calhoun, the colt has now taken his record to a first and a second from his two starts.
Bred by Millennium Farms, Run Classic is out of Pledge Pin, a stakes-placed half-sister to multiple stakes winner Great Mills. Run Classic’s family also includes Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Country House and Grade 1 winners Zazu and Jolie Olimpica.
Pledge Pin also has a 2-year-old MASTERY colt who sold for $105,000 as a weanling at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.