Happy My Way, 5, Dies

Sagamore Farm reports their 5-year-old gelding Happy My Way had to be put down following surgery. The grade III-winning son of Wilko   had run fifth in the West Virginia Legislature Chairman's Cup Stakes Aug. 1 at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort.



"It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of Happy My Way," said Sagamore president Hunter Rankin in a release. "Following his run in the West Virginia Legislature Chairman's Cup we found he slab-fractured his knee and was immediately sent to surgery. However, the severity of the injury was greater than expected and it could not be repaired.



"He was truly a joy to be around; to have a Thoroughbred of his class, energy, and limitless potential in your barn doesn't happen every day. It's like losing a member of your team, and at Sagamore, our team is our family."



Happy My Way, out of the Holy Bull mare Holy Queen, began his racing career for owner Mel Paikoff. Sagamore Farm purchased majority ownership in early 2014. His first race wearing the Sagamore silks came on Preakness Day in 2014, where he captured the Maryland Sprint Handicap (gr. III) at Pimlico Race Course.



Early this year, Happy My Way was named 2014 Florida-bred champion male sprinter and champion older male. He was bred in the Sunshine state by Mayo West Farm and Liam Benson.



Happy My Way went 6-5-5 in 23 starts and earned $559,052 while being trained throughout his career by Joe Orseno. Following the Maryland Sprint he ran second to Palace in Saratoga's Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (gr. I). This year he placed in the Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes (gr. III) and Maryland Sprint Handicap.