Happy Me tries two turns

Happy Me has a big question to answer in the $100,000 Sydney Valentini Handicap at Sunland Park.

A one-mile race for fillies and mares bred in New Mexico, the Sydney Valentini will be Happy Me's first two-turn start. Happy Me has won 4 of her 5 starts, including the $125,000 New Mexico Racing Commission Handicap at Sunland on Dec. 13, and all of her wins have come on the front end. She will be stretching out from 5 1/2 furlongs and figures to again be showing the way in the Valentini.

From there, the question will be how far can she go. Happy Me is a daughter of the Cee's Tizzy stallion Lesters Boy, a route horse who was a stakes winner at two turns. Happy Me's dam, I'm a Happy Gal, registered all three of her wins in sprints. Ken Tohill will ride for trainer Fred Danley, who is winning at a 28 percent clip this meet at Sunland.

The chief threat appears to be Negotiablafections, another quick horse who is cutting back from a pacesetting effort at a mile in a Sunland allowance Jan. 19. She finished fourth but was a stakes winner at two turns in November, when she took the $182,000 New Mexico Cup Filly and Mare Championship at Zia Park.

Negotiableafections could get a perfect tracking trip off of Happy Me, who is situated to her inside in post 2. Negotiablafections will break from post 7. Alfredo Juarez Jr. has the mount for trainer Todd Fincher, who has been on a stakes tear this meet at Sunland.