Happy My Way meets Sneaking Uponyou in Maryland Sprint
BALTIMORE – It has been 14 years since Joe Orseno recorded his greatest achievement when Red Bullet upset Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. Since then, Orseno has run just four horses here, none since Earthquake Ride in the 2004 Hilltop Stakes.
“I remember where it is,” Orseno, based at Monmouth, said by phone Wednesday.
Orseno will be back at Pimlico on Saturday to run Happy My Way in the Grade 3, $150,000 Maryland Sprint Handicap, the first of eight stakes on the Preakness card at Pimlico.[bc_video_id:324564:]
Happy My Way, a 4-year-old gelding by Wilko, is in career form, having won three of his last four starts, including the Sir Shackleton Stakes on March 29 at Gulfstream Park, in which he beat the win-machine known as Ribo Bobo. Four of Happy My Way’s five career wins have come at Gulfstream.
Orseno said he sent Happy My Way from New Jersey to Pimlico on Sunday, and on Monday, the gelding had an open gallop over the main track during which his assistant clocked the last three-eighths in 38 seconds, according to Orseno.
“He really got over it pretty well,” Orseno said. “I usually walk the horse a day after that, but he was so sharp I had to send him back to the track. He’s ready to go. He’s going into the race 100 percent.”
Since his last race, a half-interest in Happy My Way has been sold by Mel Paikoff to Kevin Plank’s Sagamore Farm. Orseno said part of the stipulation of the sale was that Happy My Way runs in this race.
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“We have no problem with that,” Orseno said.
Happy My Way, who breaks from post 2, figures to be on or near the lead under Joe Bravo.
The other primary speed in the race is Sneaking Uponyou, an 8-year-old gelding trained by Jamie Ness. Ness claimed the horse for $25,000 as a 2-year-old in his third career start. The horse has won 10 of 43 starts and $458,529 since. He is coming off a 6 1/4-length win in a Florida-bred sprint stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on April 5.
Breaking from the rail, Sneaking Uponyou will try to make the lead under Luis Saez.
“His speed is his weapon,” Ness said. “That’s how we’re going to have him run, let him rip. Hopefully, he’s good enough. His last two races were probably the best he’s ever run. I hope that trend continues.”
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If a speed duel develops, Lemon Drop Dream and Salutos Amigos could be the beneficiaries. Lemon Drop Dream, trained by Steve Asmussen, is 3 for 4 this year, including a neck victory in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn. Salutos Amigos is 3 for 3 since being purchased privately by David Jacobson, including an optional-claiming win last Saturday at Belmont.
Service for Ten and Action Andy complete the field.