So Happy (Runhappy) took the lead in midstretch, and refused to come back, keeping his perfect record with a strong win in the GII San Vicente Stakes.
The Mark Glatt-trainee entered this contest with only one prior jump to his name. In it, he was last seen breaking his maiden at Del Mar Nov. 22 by three quarters of a length over a field which included two next out winners and GSP Blacksmith (Liam's Map) at 38-1 long odds.
There was a scramble coming out of the gate as rivals came in on him, but So Happy recovered well to race in third. In no rush to reel in the leaders as Acknowledgemeplz (Bucchero) and Greenwich Village (Quality Road) posted fractions of :22.03 and a half in :43.56, he was the looming danger coming through the final bend after six panels in 1:08.41. The former had tried to give the field the slip coming off the turn, but So Happy was rapidly closing the gap into the final sixteenth with 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Buetane (Tiz the Law) calling on his outside. He dispatched his competition passing that marker to hit the wire in 1:21.12 with air to spare. Betting favorite Buetane grabbed second while Acknowledgemeplz gamely held on to third.
“He was just so excited out there, he was 'So Happy.',” quipped winning rider Mike Smith. “I was really happy with the way he handled the seven-eighths because usually that's a pretty good indication they will go two turns. He was well within himself running underneath the wire.”
“I was really happy with the way he did things. I thank Mark and his team and the owners for the opportunity. Who knows, we will see where he takes us.”
“He certainly showed more in the afternoon than he did in the morning, but we liked the horse quite a little bit,” said Glatt. “We asked a lot of him, first time out, he had to ship down to Del Mar the day he was in.”
Glatt continued to say that some of the horse's antics during training suggested his charge might need some experience to hit his best strides. “He's kind of a looky-loo in the morning. As a matter of fact, we train him in blinkers every day because he wants to look at everything, so I just thought maybe he's a horse that may need to race a little bit. But I did expect him to run well. Honestly, I didn't think he would run quite that well and he backed up that first race with an awesome performance today.”
#2 SO HAPPY 😊 ($7.80) and Mike Smith won the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes at @santaanitapark. The 3-yr old son of Runhappy is trained by Mark Glatt pic.twitter.com/I1LVXfOcKL
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) January 10, 2026
Pedigree Notes:
So Happy is the first black-type runner for So Cunning, who has produced two winners from three horses on the ground. Her most recent is a juvenile colt by Demarchelier (GB) after she came up barren for the 2026 breeding season post visit to War of Will. The mare is a half-sister to the dam of SW Crab Daddy (Uncle Lino), and they hail from the immediate female family of MGISW Silver Wagon (Wagon Limit).
Saturday, Santa Anita Park
SAN VICENTE S.-GII, $200,000, Santa Anita, 1-10, 3yo, 7f, 1:21.12, ft.
1–SO HAPPY, 120, c, 3, by Runhappy
1st Dam: So Cunning, by Blame
2nd Dam: So Glitzy, by Gilded Time
3rd Dam: So Ritzy, by Darn That Alarm
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($12,000 Wlg '23 KEENOV; $20,000 Ylg '24 FTKOCT; $150,000 2yo '25 OBSMAR). O-Norman Stables LLC and Saints or Sinners; B-Leverett S. Miller (KY); T-Mark Glatt; J-Mike E. Smith. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $156,000. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Buetane, 120, c, 3, Tiz the Law–Taboo, by Forestry. ($150,000 Ylg '24 FTSAUG; $1,150,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR). O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Merriebelle Stable, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $40,000.
3–Acknowledgemeplz, 120, r, 3, Bucchero–Starship Fantasy, by Yes It's True. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($75,000 2yo '25 OBSMAR). O-Purple Rein Racing and Davis, Mark D.; B-Helen Barbazon & Joseph Barbazon (FL); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $24,000.
Margins: 2, 2 1/4, 3 1/4. Odds: 2.90, 0.50, 7.60.
Also Ran: Thirsty Rebel, Greenwich Village.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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