Runhappy points to Phoenix Stakes for King's Bishop follow-up

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – On Sunday morning, Runhappy, the upset winner of the Grade 1 King's Bishop on Saturday at Saratoga, was sent from the stakes barn, which is next door to Siro's restuarant, to McMahon's Farm and turned out in a paddock for a little R&R.

He certainly deserved it after making short work of his 10 opponents in the $500,000 King's Bishop, a seven-furlong race for 3-year-olds.

"We've been turning him out in their paddock for the 10 days we have been here," said Laura Wohlers, racing manager for owner Jim McIngvale. "I looked them up and called before we shipped here and asked if they would mind if we used a paddock."

Paddock time is part of the almost-holistic approach Wohlers, McIngvale, and trainer Maria Borell use with their horses. When Runhappy is home at the Thoroughbred Training Center outside Lexington, Ky., he gets turned out five times a week, swims three or four days a week, and gets plenty of exercise, according to Wohlers.

"He has a great cardio vascular system," she said.

Don Doran, an equine performance consultant based in Ocala, Fla., who does equine sports massage and therapy work, spent the week before the King's Bishop working with Runhappy.

"I like to be with them for a week straight," Doran said.

McIngvale and Wohlers also have a policy of no Lasix or drugs.

Runhappy earned a 113 Beyer Speed Figure for his four-length victory in the King's Bishop. He was ridden by Hall of Famer Edgar Prado.

Runhappy will be flown back to Kentucky on Monday and pointed to the Grade 3, $250,000 Phoenix, a six-furlong stakes Oct. 2 at Keeneland. The plan then is to go to the $1.5 million Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

"We may run him another time or two at the end of the year," Wohlers said. "Next year, we will try to stretch him out. I think he will go longer."

Runhappy won his career debut at Turfway Park last December. He then was sent to the Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds but finished ninth and came out of the race with a stress fracture. When he was ready to resume training, Wohlers, who had trained Runhappy for his first two races, hired Borell to take over.

Borell, a 32-year-old native of Syracuse, N.Y., has been training on her own since 2013. The King's Bishop was her fourth career win.

"It's still kind of unreal," Borell said Sunday of the King's Bishop. "The good news is he came out of the race great. He ate great, feels great."

It has been 20 years since McIngvale got into racing by purchasing a slew of yearlings with trainer Nick Zito. McIngvale, known as Mattress Mac for the aggressive marketing strategy he uses at his Gallery Furniture store in Houston, now has a handful of horses in training and several yearlings, according to Wohlers, who works at Gallery Furniture.

McIngvale paid $200,000 for Runhappy at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale, and on Saturday, he looked worth every penny.