Runhappy Romps to Record King's Bishop Score

James McIngvale's lightly raced Runhappy ran them off their feet Aug 29 in the $500,000 NYRA.com King's Bishop Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course, giving trainer Maria Borell her first grade I victory and collecting the first one of his own in stakes-record fashion.

Making just his fifth start and coming off a July 31 allowance optional claiming victory at Ellis Park, the 3-year-old Super Saver   colt took command from Limousine Liberal after the first quarter went in :22.43, then ran a :44.54 half en route to three-quarters in 1:08.17. He drew off to a four-length victory, finishing the seven-furlong sprint in 1:20.54 on a fast track—the quickest King's Bishop ever.

"We were pretty confident going in," Borell remarked. "He couldn't have been training any better and we wouldn't have spent the money to come up here if we thought he couldn't win. I was a little nervous at the early fractions but I knew he could do it. We really prepared him well at home. I knew he was good, but that was really good." 

Runhappy, who races without the anti-bleeding medication furosemide, was ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado as part of a 117-pound impost and returned $24.60, $13.80, and $6.70 at odds of 11-1.

"I don't like drugs and I don't want to run on Lasix if a horse doesn't need it," Borell told the Saratoga Special in their Aug. 29 edition. "Runhappy doesn't need it and he's run Lasix-free in all of his starts."

"The plan was to break good out of the gate," Prado said. "He was doing everything so easy and I was very confident in him going into the first turn. When he started pricking his ears and looking for competition, that made me feel good. When I asked him on the top of the stretch and he picked it up, I knew we were in good shape."

Limousine Liberal was second in the field of 11, worth $16 and $8.70 at 15-1, followed home two lengths back by 5-2 favorite Holy Boss ($3.90), who shared co-highweight assignments of 121 pounds with March and Competitive Edge.

Completing the order of finish were Watershed, Grand Bili, March, Mr. Z, Competitive Edge, Classy Class, Commute, and Loose On the Town.

Bred in Kentucky by Wayne Lyster, Gray Lyster & Bryan Lyster out of the Broken Vow mare Bella Jolie, Runhappy improved his record to four wins from five starts for earnings of $331,300. He was a $200,000 purchase from the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale when consigned by Ashview Farm.

"I'm overwhelmed," Borell said. "I knew he was a good horse or we wouldn't have bought him up here. I'm just so lucky to have this opportunity now with this horse. I'd like to thank James McIngvale and his racing manager Laura Wohlers. He's just an amazing horse."