Runhappy Full of Energy Following Phoenix

Runhappy (Super Saver) returned to trainer Maria Borell’s barn at The Thoroughbred Center on the north side of Lexington shortly after his determined victory in Friday’s GIII Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix S., a win which earned him a berth in the field for the GI TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint back at Keeneland Oct. 31. The colt was feeling very good Saturday morning, his trainer said.

“He came out of the race well,” said Borell, who had just three previous starts at Keeneland before winning the Phoenix. “He’s dragging us around this morning walking in the shedrow.”

Owned by James McIngvale, Runhappy caught the attention of many race observers when ovecoming a slow start to win his maiden at first asking over the Turfway Polytrack late last year, and the last-out GI King’s Bishop S. winner was up to those same tricks Friday. Off tardily from the inside box, he nonetheless rushed to the lead, shading :22 for the opening quarter. His saddle was reported to have slipped during the middle part of the race, and Runhappy drifted out into the lane. But he dug in for the final eighth of a mile for an ultimately comfortable success over Barbados (Speightstown).

“It’s a dream come true,” she said. “I know everyone thinks that’s silly, but it seems unreal some days.”

Trainer Michael Tomlinson was happy to take a shot with the 3-year-old Barbados against older horses, but was leaning towards returning the colt to his peers in the Oct. 31 Perryville S. on the Breeders’ Cup Saturday undercard. But he could still call an audible.

“He’s a nice little horse, but he only has 10 points and I don’t know if he would get invited,” Tomlinson said. “If he does get in [the Breeders’ Cup], he’d probably stay at Churchill until he had to come over three days before the race.”

A $340,000 purchase on behalf of Suzanne Stables at last year’s Keeneland November sale, Barbados won the Spectacular Bid S. and GIII Hutcheson S. in his first two runs for Tomlinson.