Happy One continues to improve

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Sunday could be a big day at Bay Meadows for trainer Lloyd Mason, who has live runners in the co-features.

He sends out Happy One and Include Charlie in a $40,000 optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles on the turf and Any Afternoon in another $40,000 optional claimer at six furlongs on the main track.

Happy One graduated in a bottom-level $8,000 maiden claimer on May 5 but has moved up the class ladder rapidly since then.

"He couldn't break his maiden for $8,000," Mason said.

But when Happy One finally did win his maiden, things turned around. When he returned to the track following his maiden win for a May 13 work, he went a half-mile in 47.60 seconds, the second best work of 52 that day. He followed up with a half-mile in a bullet 47.20 seconds on May 19, the best of 45. But he really impressed Mason with a five-furlong work in 59.60 seconds on May 26, the second best of 25.

"One day he worked five furlongs in less than a minute, and it all turned around," Mason said. "He's related to Happy Zone, who did the same thing and all of a sudden was a nice horse."

Happy Zone earned $109,978 with 4 wins in 34 starts.

"I don't know what clicked, but, all of a sudden, both woke up," Mason said. "It's not that I did anything different."

Happy One ran second for a $16,000 tag in his turf debut in his first start after his maiden victory. He ran third on the dirt in Pleasanton in a $40,000 starter allowance and then won on the turf in a $40,000 starter allowance Aug. 1.

Include Charlie, a $62,500 claim in May, has met better horses than Happy One.

One key rival Sunday will be Cliff Dweller, who beat Happy One in the Pleasanton race Julyo5. Like Happy One, he seems better on the turf, where he has recorded 2 victories and 4 seconds in 6 starts.

"He tries pretty hard every time," trainer Chuck Jenda said.

But he has an idiosyncrasy that has cost him several times. He has a tendency to lug in after turning for home and it has cost him at least two wins.

In the sprint, Any Afternoon, whose rider misjudged the finish line in a narrow defeat last time, will meet Coastal Skimming, who has won two straight.