Trainer Kenny McPeek has entered at least one horse in every allowance race feature this week at Oaklawn Park. He runs second-time starter Goodbye Kyle in the featured eighth race Sunday, but it’s hard to imagine this filly landing anything like the blow Smile Happy struck for McPeek in the featured eighth race Thursday. Going 1 1/8 miles in second-level allowance company while making his first start since an eighth-place finish in the 2022 Kentucky Derby, Smile Happy traveled beautifully over a sloppy, sealed track, stalking a solid, contested pace from fourth down the backstretch and into the far turn. He moved sharply to attack the leaders turning for home, was a little late to switch leads, but steadily drew away from a game rival named Speed Bias to post a 1 3/4-length victory. His time of 1:48.95 produced an eye-catching 101 Beyer Speed Figure, a career best for this 4-year-old son of Runhappy. “He was ultra-impressive,” said McPeek, who trains Smile Happy for the Lucky Seven Stable. “I’m really proud of him and my team who have gotten him here.” :: Take your handicapping to the next level and play with FREE DRF Past Performances - Formulator or Classic. Smile Happy shipped from Fair Grounds to make his long-layoff comeback run. Assistant trainer Greg Geier looks after McPeek’s string in New Orleans when McPeek is elsewhere. McPeek said Smile Happy will remain stabled at Oaklawn and be pointed to the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap on April 22. At 2, Smile Happy won his career debut in a Keeneland dirt-route maiden and the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes in his second start. He finished an encouraging second behind Epicenter making his 3-year-old debut in the Risen Star Stakes, but was already deteriorating physically when he finished third in the Blue Grass, followed by his eighth in the Derby. McPeek tried to bring Smile Happy back last summer but wasn’t happy with the colt’s training. Smile Happy got back on the work tab Dec. 31 and has breezed steadily, but McPeek wasn’t sure what to expect Thursday. “He’s just a really difficult horse to handle and train sometimes,” he said. “He’s a bit of an independent soul, but such a great raw talent.” Who knows exactly what to make of Goodbye Kyle, the McPeek-trained filly in Sunday’s feature, a first-level dirt route allowance for 3-year-old fillies. Debuting at Fair Grounds in a restricted maiden special weight sprint, Goodbye Kyle rallied steadily to win going away, but she beat just five rivals and earned only a 59 Beyer. Effortlesslyelgant and Take Charge Briana are the likely favorites here, both dropping in class from the Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes on Feb. 25. Take Charge Briana finished seventh in the Honeybee, Effortlesslyelgant 10th, but the latter has more upside than the former. Trained by Norm Casse, Effortlesslyelgant was making just her third start in the Honeybee while trying two turns and other winners for the first time. Her race was all but over when she broke slowly from post 1, getting stuck behind rivals in a 12-horse field. Still, the 2-1 morning-line odds on Effortlesslyelgant are probably less than fair value. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.