Happy American Aims for Third Straight in Mineshaft

Lothenbach Stables' Happy American  looks to make his second try at the Mineshaft Stakes (G3) a worthwhile venture Feb. 18 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. He battles eight other 4-year-olds and up for the $250,000, 1 1/16 mile event, including 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1) participants Tawny Port  and Pioneer of Medina .

Happy American, a son of Runhappy  , started his 5-year-old year with a bang, winning the Louisiana Stakes (G3) at the New Orleans oval in a dramatic duel to the wire where he bested another Mineshaft hopeful, dual grade 3 winner Mr. Wireless , by a neck. The two had also met in their previous start, the 2022 Tenacious Stakes, where it was yet again Happy American who turned back the Bret Calhoun trainee to take the victory for his first win at the level.

Happy American, who races for trainer Neil Pessin, came fifth in the Mineshaft last year with eventual grade 1 winner Olympiad   claiming first. Since beginning his career as a 2-year-old, the gelding has earned $437,476 from a record of 5-1-3 in 16 starts.

Tawny Port, winner of the 2022 Ohio Derby (G3), returns from an extended layoff since his 10th-place finish in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) last September. The Brad Cox trainee finished seventh in the Kentucky Derby, beaten just 4 3/4 lengths.

Sumaya Stable's Pioneer of Medina, 19th in last year's Run for the Roses, took three months away from the track and returned to make several more starts in 2022, including an allowance optional claiming win at Churchill Downs in November and a runner-up finish in the Dec. 31 Harlan's Holiday Stakes (G3) to conclude the year at Gulfstream Park for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

Dream Team One Racing Stable's homebred Hoist the Gold  is set for the grade 3 contest after of a third-place run in the 2022 Malibu Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park. The son of Mineshaft   has yet to win in stakes, though he is stakes placed, also hitting the board in the Maxfield Overnight Stakes and Perryville Stakes last year.

Rounding out the field is grade 3 winner King Fury —who has not seen the winner's circle since the 2021 Bourbon Trail Stakes, stakes-placed Farmington Road , Tom Durant's Run Classic , and Maryland-bred Big Blue Line .

Entries: Mineshaft S. Presented by Relyne GI By Hagyard (G3)

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, February 18, 2023, Race 10

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $250,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 4:37 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Hoist the Gold (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	118	Dallas Stewart	-
2	Run Classic (KY)	Reylu Gutierrez	118	W. Bret Calhoun	-
3	Tawny Port (KY)	Florent Geroux	118	Brad H. Cox	-
4	Farmington Road (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Cherie DeVaux	-
5	Big Blue Line (MD)	Corey J. Lanerie	118	Paul J. McGee	-
6	Happy American (KY)	James Graham	124	Neil L. Pessin	-
7	Pioneer of Medina (KY)	Luis Saez	118	Todd A. Pletcher	-
8	Mr. Wireless (KY)	Deshawn L. Parker	118	W. Bret Calhoun	-
9	King Fury (KY)	Mitchell Murrill	118	Kenneth G. McPeek	-