Happy American gets redemption with Tenacious win

Happy American lost the 2021 Tenacious Stakes on a head bob but left no doubt in the 2022 renewal, charging home a 2 3/4-length winner in the last of 13 races Monday at Fair Grounds.

James Graham won his fourth race on the card, three of them stakes, and had the timing all right in the $100,000 Tenacious.

Forza Di Oro, who’d tracked two longshot pace players, was the first to move, Florent Geroux playing his hand about three-furlong marker. Mr. Wireless and Deshawn Parker made a sharp wide run to the quarter pole, engaging then passing Forza Di Oro. But Mr. Wireless failed to change leads, and Happy American, who’d followed him into the homestretch, attacked at the furlong grounds, going on to a decisive victory despite drifting out to the wire.

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“I thought I’d won last year,” said Graham.

He had not, but Chess Chief, the 2021 Tenacious hero, finished unplaced in this year’s edition.

Happy American ($15.20) races for Lothenbach Stable and trainer Neil Pessin. A 4-year-old colt by Runhappy out of the Quiet American mare Queen of America, he won for the fourth time in 15 starts while landing his first stake.

Mr. Wireless finished second while Forza di Oro held third.

Buddy Diliberto

Spooky Channel returned ready after a 14-month layoff, winning the $100,000 Buddy Diliberto Memorial Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths.

Claimed for $80,000 by NBS Stable and trainer Jason Barkley in April 2021, Spooky Channel had won the Remington Park Green and the Sycamore at Keeneland on Oct. 22 that year when he was sidelined by injury. At about 1 1/16 miles, the Diliberto fell short of the 7-year-old gelding’s preferred trip, but that didn’t stop him.

Stalking the pace from third under James Graham, Spooky Channel put his head in front of favored pacesetter Gentle Soul at the eighth pole and comfortably held clear a run from English Tavern to win for the 12th time in 26 starts. Big Agenda loomed in upper stretch but could only finish a soundly beaten third in the second grass race of the Fair Grounds meet.

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