Runhappy lifts connections to new heights with courageous TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint victory

by Laura Pugh

Runhappy had been training like the devil, and today in the TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint he ran like a devil.

Stalking the pace, Ruhappy sat off of Holy Boss and Private Zone. The first quarter was :22.05 and the half-mile was run in a blistering :44 and change. As they turned for home it looked like Private Zone might get the win, but as jockey Edgar Prado stated, “ (Runhappy) knows where the wire is,” and Runhappy surged by just in time.

For the first time in his career, Runhappy was forced to sit back and stalk the pace.

“He broke a step slow like he always does, so I tried to get him in the clear and tried not to hook him up with Private Zone, because he’s very brave when you do,” Prado stated.

In winning the Sprint, Runhappy left his heart on the track for trainer Maria Borell, and in doing so, made her dreams as a trainer come true.

“It’s unreal,” a tearful Borell said in the winner’s circle.

For a woman who has faced so much adversity, there was no way that she would have ever predicted that she would be standing in the winner’s circle at the Breeders Cup World Championships.

While delivering Borell her life’s dream, Runhappy also may have come close to administering a heart attack.

“I was nervous; I’m not going to lie,” she admitted. “It was the first time he stalked off the pace like that and I was nervous, but he did it.”

Yes, yes Maria, Runhappy did do it. In a true rags-to-riches story, he lifted you and your team to new and unbelievable heights. Enjoy the spoils, they are well deserved.

Runhappy photo courtesy of Keeneland/Coady Photography