Happy Farm makes first start for Rice in Gravesend

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Happy Farm, the 2019 Grade 3 Fall Highweight winner, will make his first start in 10 months and first for Linda Rice when he runs in Saturday’s $100,000 Gravesend Stakes going 6 1/2 furlongs.

Happy Farm finished second by a head to Firenze Fire in the 2019 Gravesend before running second to Mind Control in the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap here on March 7.

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Two days later, his trainer, Jason Servis, was indicted by federal authorities and charged with administering illegal medications to his horses. Servis had his license suspended, and horses in his care were transferred to other trainers.

Rice worked Happy Farm six times in the spring, but ultimately turned him out in early summer. Happy Farm shows nine workouts since Sept. 13.

“He wasn’t doing that great, we gave him some time off this summer, and we’re trying to get him back going,” said Rice, who trains Happy Farm for Ara Aprahamian’s A and M Racing. “It’s a pretty good spot, but he hasn’t run in a long time.”

Happy Farm was one of just five horses entered in the Gravesend, a race that had been run at six furlongs since 1963. Also entered were Stan the Man, My Boy Tate, Pete’s Play Call, and Drafted.