McPeek: Smile Happy heading to Blue Grass Stakes

Smile Happy, the top-ranked 3-year-old on Daily Racing Form's Derby Watch top 20, will have his final prep for the May 7 Kentucky Derby in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 9, his trainer, Kenny McPeek, said Monday.

Smile Happy most recently was an excellent second in the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds, behind Epicenter, who will be the favorite in the Louisiana Derby on Saturday. Smile Happy has been training at Gulfstream Park, and also had been under consideration for the Florida Derby there on April 2, but McPeek said the Blue Grass was the right option.

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"We could justify going to a couple of spots, but he'll go to the Blue Grass," McPeek said. He said the fact Smile Happy won on debut last fall at Keeneland, and that the colt's owners -- the Lucky Seven Stable of the Mackin family -- live in Kentucky, were among the considerations.

Smile Happy, by Runhappy, is 2 for 3. After winning his first start, he won the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs, ending a brief but unbeaten 2-year-old campaign. The Risen Star was his lone start since.