Hi Happy makes statement in Pan American Stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The Argentine-bred Hi Happy announced he is a marathon turf horse to pay attention to with a strong 2 3/4-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Pan American Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Receiving the exact stalking trip trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey Luis Saez drew up, Hi Happy overtook the front-running One Go All Go turning into the stretch and sped clear to get his seventh victory from 12 career starts.

It was his first victory since Dec. 12, 2015, when he won a Group 1 going 1 1/2 miles on turf in Argentina. This was his sixth start in this country, and second for Pletcher.

Hi Happy broke running with One Go All Go, but Saez took Hi Happy back to let One Go All Go, under Chris Landeros, have the lead. Hi Happy was within 1 1/2 lengths of One Go All Go through a quarter in 23.96 seconds, a half-mile in 49.21, six furlongs in 1:13.79 and a mile in 1:38.15.

Hi Happy took control turning in the lane and was never challenged. Hi Happy, a 6-year-old son of Pure Prize owned by La Providencia LLC, covered the 1 1/2 miles over firm turf in 2:23.85 and returned $6.80 as the second betting choice.

“It was exactly the trip we drew up,” Pletcher said. “We felt like [One Go All Go] would go to the lead, we felt like we would be stalking him and just wanted to get into a comfortable rhythm. It couldn’t have worked out any better.”

One Go All Go finished second for the fourth time in his last five starts.

“Minor award again,” trainer Scooter Dickey said. “He’s a game horse, they just have to outrun them and they have.

“He’s keeping us happy, we’re not disappointed in him.”

Classic Covey rallied along the inside to be third, and it was 1 1/2 lengths back to Sadler’s Joy, the 9-5 favorite, in fourth. Bullards Alley, Markitoff, Bigger Picture, Tiz a Slam, and Little Nick V. completed the order of finish.

Pletcher said he would look to keep Hi Happy at distances between 1 1/4 miles to 1 1/2 miles.