Runhappy Named Title Sponsor of Ellis Park Meet
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Photo: Coady Photography
Ellis Park
Ellis Park is pleased to welcome back Runhappy as the title sponsor of the 100th season, which runs from July 8 through Aug. 28.
The Runhappy meet at Ellis Park will be highlighted by the five stakes races Aug. 14, including the $200,000 Runhappy Ellis Park Derby, $100,000 Runhappy Audubon Oaks, $125,000 Runhappy Ellis Park Juvenile, $125,000 Runhappy Ellis Park Debutante, and the $125,000 Groupie Doll Stakes.
"Runhappy won at Ellis Park during the summer of his Eclipse championship season, so we're happy and excited to support the upcoming race meet again, especially on the 100th anniversary of the track," said Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale, CEO of Gallery Furniture and owner of Runhappy. An allowance victory at Ellis Park in 2015 would be the start of a five-race win streak for Runhappy. McIngvale's colt would go on to win the NYRA.com King's Bishop Stakes (G1) and set a new stakes record, the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G3), the TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) in another course record time at Keeneland, and the Malibu Stakes (G1), before being awarded the Eclipse Award for champion sprinter. After his retirement in 2016, Runhappy was added to the stallion roster at Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky., and currently resides in Secretariat's old stall.
Since beginning stud duties, Runhappy was among the top 10 juvenile sires of 2021 by number of black-type winners with four. He has sired eight career stakes winners and his have earned more than $7.5 million. Notable Runhappy offspring include Smile Happy , who won the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) and was second in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and the Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2); and, Following Sea , who won the Vosburgh Stakes (G2), was second in the Cigar Mile Handicap Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) and the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1), and was third third in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) and the Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1).
"Runhappy Day" at Ellis Park will be the track's biggest day of racing for this season and will be held Aug. 14 with five stakes races traditionally marked as Kentucky Downs preview races, which now bear the name of one of the track's most famous graduates.
| 2022 Runhappy Ellis Park Stakes Schedule | ||||||
| Date | Purse | Stakes | Grade | Conditions | Distance | Surface |
| July 9 | $60,000 | Pea Patch Overnight | - | 3YO F | 5 1/2 F | Turf |
| July 10 | $60,000 | Dade Park Dash Overnight | - | 3YO | 5 1/2 F | Turf |
| July 17 | $75,000 | Ellis Park Turf | - | 3&UP F&M | 1 1/16 M | Turf |
| July 24 | $75,000 | Jeff Hall Memorial | - | 3&UP | 6 1/2 F | Dirt |
| Aug. 6 | $60,000 | R.A. "Cowboy" Jones Overnight | - | 3&UP | 1 M | Dirt |
| Aug. 7 | $100,000 | Exacta Gaming Distaff Turf Sprint | - | 3&UP F&M | 5 1/2 F | Turf |
| Aug. 7 | $100,000 | Twin Spires Turf Sprint | - | 3&UP | 5 1/2 F | Turf |
| Aug. 7 | $100,000 | Centennial Distaff Turf Mile | - | 3&UP F&M | 1 M | Turf |
| Aug. 7 | $100,000 | Evan Williams Turf Mile | - | 3&UP | 1 M | Turf |
| Aug. 14 | $200,000 | Runhappy Ellis Park Derby | - | 3YO | 1 M | Dirt |
| Aug. 14 | $100,000 | Runhappy Audubon Oaks | - | 3YO F | 7 F | Dirt |
| Aug. 14 | $125,000 | Runhappy Ellis Park Juvenile | - | 2YO | 7 F | Dirt |
| Aug. 14 | $125,000 | Runhappy Ellis Park Debutante | - | 2YO F | 7 F | Dirt |
| Aug. 14 | $125,000 | Groupie Doll | - | 3&UP F&M | 1 M | Dirt |