RUNHAPPY son Rotknee was named New York-Bred Champion 3-Year-Old Colt this week for his 2022 accomplishments.
His four wins in five starts as a 3-year-old included victories in three stakes races across three New York tracks. His first stakes success came in the Damon Runyon Stakes last March when he raced away on the front end to a 2 ¾ length victory two starts before winning the Mike Lee Stakes in much the same way.
Rotknee secured his championship in the Ontario County Stakes with an absolutely dominant 12 ¾ length victory at Finger Lakes.
Trained by Mike Maker, Rotknee is a homebred for William Butler out of the winning In Spite of Mama. That mare had a WAR OF WILL filly last year.
Rotknee is one of five stakes winners and seven stakes performers from RUNHAPPY’s 2019 crop. That group includes multiple stakes winner and Grade 1-placed Smile Happy.