Runhappy thrives in spotlight after King’s Bishop triumph

Runhappy, the 3-year-old colt who earned a 113 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the Grade 1 King’s Bishop with Edgar Prado aboard last Saturday at Saratoga, returned to training Wednesday at the Thoroughbred Center training facility in Lexington, Ky., and continues to thrive, according to trainer Maria Borell.

“He came out of the race really great,” said Borell. “He jogged once around and galloped once around [the nearly one-mile dirt oval]. We’ve been discussing what’s next.”

Owned by Jim “Mattress Mac” McIngvale, Runhappy has taken the racing world by storm, and Borell is well aware that fans and fellow horsemen are eager to hear what is next. The Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland on Oct. 31 is an obvious year-end goal, but a final decision on how to get there has not been made, said Borell.

“Mr. McIngvale has been thinking about the Kentucky Downs Turf Dash, and we’ve got the colt nominated,” said Borell. “I’ve told him I’d rather wait for the Phoenix and that Edgar is committed elsewhere on Sept. 12, but obviously, he’s the boss. I really appreciate the opportunity he’s given me.”

The $300,000 Kentucky Downs Turf Dash is an ungraded race to be run at 6 1/2 furlongs over an undulating turf course and comes just two weeks after the King’s Bishop. The $250,000 Phoenix is a Grade 3, six-furlong race set for Oct. 2, opening day of the Keeneland fall meet. Both races are open to older horses. Entries for the Turf Dash close Tuesday.

With a career record of 4 for 5, Runhappy never has raced on turf – let alone a course with the unconventional layout of Kentucky Downs – and Borell said she would prefer to give the colt more time between races. The Super Saver colt also never has raced with Lasix.

“We’ve been talking about it a lot,” she said. “As of right now, it looks like we’re going to wait for the Phoenix because of the Edgar factor. He can definitely ride him back then.”

Either way, Runhappy has emerged as a viable player on the national scene. He and Borell have been spotlighted by numerous media outlets since the King’s Bishop, while hundreds, if not thousands, of people on social media have expressed their admiration for what occurred Saturday.

Breaking from the outside post in a field of 11, Runhappy absolutely dominated the seven-furlong race, leading gate to wire in a stakes-record 1:20.54 to prevail by four lengths over Limousine Liberal.

His 113 Beyer is the second-highest in 2015, behind only the 114 earned by Beholder in the Pacific Classic, and is the highest for races up to a mile.

“Obviously, he showed what he could do,” said Borell. “Mr. McIngvale is beyond thrilled. We all are. We just want to keep going down this same path.”