It was another impressive stakes victory for RUNHAPPY’s Rotknee on Monday when he won the Leon Reed Memorial Stakes by 5 ¾ lengths.
Sitting behind one runner early in the six-furlong dirt race after a slow break, Rotknee took over once he was back in stride and showed why he race the race favorite. Pulling away with every stride, he had an eight-length lead going into the final furlong.
Kept focused in the stretch, another horse slightly cut into his lead to take his margin to 5 ¾ lengths at the line.
Trained by Mike Maker for owner-breeder William Butler, it was the 11th career victory for the New York-bred. Rotknee has finished in the top three in 15 of his 22 career starts for $695,330 in earnings, led by a Grade 3 third place finish.
The 5-year-old is a half-brother to Grade 2 winner and Grade 1-placed My Mane Squeeze and the stakes placed Lookin For Trouble among the four winners from five to race out of In Spite Of Mama. That mare’s 2-year-old WAR OF WILL filly also has a placing to her name.
This is the family of Grade 1 winner Haynesfield and Group 2 winner Ambassador among others.
In Spite Of Mama foaled a full brother to Rotknee last year as well.