By Ben Massam
James McIngvale's Runhappy (Super Saver), champion sprinter of 2015, makes his eagerly anticipated comeback in Saturday's GIII Ack Ack H. at Churchill Downs. The bay closed out a memorable sophomore season with wins in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint Oct. 31 and GI Malibu S. Dec. 26, but was subsequently shelved for an extended layup with bone bruising. Forced to miss season goals such as the GI Met Mile in June, Runhappy's Ack Ack test is expected to serve as a springboard to a start in the Nov. 4 GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile–and ultimately the newly created GI Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in January.
“He's doing so much better than he was a year ago,” trainer Laura Wohlers told the Churchill Downs notes team. “We're all very excited. We've all been waiting awhile for it. We've had our setbacks with him this year but the time off has ended up being good. He's come back so much stronger than he was last year.”
Runhappy has won twice at seven furlongs–the Malibu and the GI King's Bishop S.–but never at a mile or beyond. If the heavy favorite is at all vulnerable off a long layoff, late runners Tom's Ready (More Than Ready) and The Truth or Else (Yes It's True) loom as logical alternatives.
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