Lady Contender beats males in Front Range

Lady Contender upstaged male rivals on Sunday, when she closed from next-to-last for a nose win in the $40,000 Front Range Stakes at Arapahoe Park. Magical Twist finished second, while it was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third to 4-5 favorite Embellishing Bob.

The Front Range, for 3-year-olds and up, was run over seven furlongs.

Lady Contender ($19) had one horse beat in the early stages, as Ima Happy Strike took the field through an opening quarter in 22.67 seconds. Lady Contender continued to race near the back of the back as Bourbon Sense took over through a half-mile in 45.39. The eventual winner put in a determined bid through the lane to cover the distance on a track rated fast in 1:25.02.

Karlo Lopez rode Lady Contender for trainer Stacey Rushton.

Lady Contender was winning her seventh stakes race Sunday. Overall, she has won 13 of 29 starts for career earnings of $273,852. Lady Contender races for Neugebauer Rushton LLC. She is a 6-year-old by Strong Contender and was bred in Kentucky by LaDona Hudson.

Get Happy Mister honored

Get Happy Mister was honored as the 2014 Colorado-bred Horse of the Year during the Colorado Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association awards banquet Saturday night at Arapahoe Park, the track announced. The horse won the Grade 3 San Simeon at Santa Anita in his turf debut in his most recent start April 19.

Get Happy Mister was winning his ninth stakes race in the San Simeon. Overall, he has won 11 of 14 starts, with a number of those victories coming at Arapahoe, including a past running of the Front Range. Get Happy Mister has earned $384,928 and in his last start he became the all-time richest Colorado-bred, surpassing Cut of Music with earnings of $342,783, according to the release from Arapahoe.

Last year, Get Happy Mister went 5 for 5 at Arapahoe to remain undefeated at the track. He is a son of First Samurai and races for Annette Bishop. Willard Burbach bred Get Happy Mister.