Happy Clapper Takes Doncaster Mile

Michael Thomas's homebred 7-year-old gelding Happy Clapper surged along the rail in the last 300 meters to win the April 7 Star Doncaster Mile (G1) by two lengths over Comin' Through at Royal Randwick in Australia and became the second horse this year to earn an automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) through the international Breeders' Cup Challenge.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into the Breeders' Cup, which will be held at Churchill Downs Nov. 2-3.

As a part of the "Win and You're In" series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Happy Clapper to start in the Mile. It will also provide a $40,000 travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 22 to receive the rewards.

Happy Clapper joins Legal Eagle, winner of the L'Ormarins Queen's Plate (G1) at Kenilworth in South Africa Jan. 6, as the first two horses to qualify for the Breeders' Cup Mile this year.

Happy Clapper, trained by Patrick Webster and ridden by Blake Shinn, was the runner-up in last two editions of the Doncaster Mile. The son of Teofilio broke alertly in the 16-horse field and saved ground just off the rail in third before he went to the lead in mid-stretch to secure the win. Happy Clapper covered the mile in 1:33.17.

Happy Clapper came into the Doncaster off a second-place finish to the super mare Winx in the Agency George Ryder Stakes (G1) at Rosehill March 24.

Following the race, Webster indicated he would likely enter Happy Clapper against Winx in the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) April 14 at Royal Randwick.