2-year-old first-timer Happymac goes for $100,000 bonus

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – If you’ve watched a Fox Sports broadcast of the races from Saratoga Race Course this summer, you’ve undoubtedly seen the commercial promoting a $100,000 bonus offered by James McIngvale to the owners of a 2-year-old by his stallion Runhappy should the horse win a maiden race at select meets, including Saratoga.

On Saturday, there is a legitimate chance that bonus may have to be paid out for the first time.

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Happymac, a 2-year-old by Runhappy and a half-brother to seven winners, including the freaky fast Shancelot, debuts in Saratoga’s sixth race. Happymac is trained by Steve Asmussen for owners Bill and Corrine Heiligbrodt, who purchased Happymac as a yearling for $360,000 last September at Keeneland.

Happymac shows a series of solid works at both Churchill and Saratoga for his debut, which will come at six furlongs. Happymac, under Ricardo Santana Jr., will break from the outside post in this 10-horse field.

“He’s been sharp away from the gate in the morning,” said Scott Blasi, Asmussen’s assistant. “Hopefully, it translates over in the afternoon.”

Shancelot was a first-out winner but that came as a 3-year-old. He won the Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes here last summer by 12 1/2 lengths, earning a 121 Beyer Speed Figure. Among Happymac’s other siblings are Sweet Kisses, who won her maiden second time out at Saratoga last summer, and One True Kiss, a debut winner.

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As of Thursday, the only Runhappy progeny to have won was Libertyrun, who won July 8 at Indiana Grand for McIngvale. The only other Runhappy progeny to have run at this meet was Peachy Queen, who finished third July 19 for trainer Danny Gargan.

Saturday’s race has other first-time starters that are intriguing. Charleston Strong, a $600,000 son of Flatter, debuts for trainer Jeremiah Englehart. Newbomb, a son of Speightstown trained by Todd Pletcher, has two bullet works from the gate. Founder, a $600,000 son of Upstart, also has solid gate works for trainer Chad Brown, who already won a 2-year-old maiden race with a first-time starter by Upstart named Reinvestment Risk.