Here’s a bold statement: defeating Bob Baffert in a Southern California stakes race for 3-year-olds is no small feat. But Mark Glatt did just that with So Happy in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park on January 10. And this is the part most people miss—So Happy was making only his second career start and his stakes debut in this 7-furlong race, yet he remained undefeated by outpacing Baffert’s heavily favored Buetane by 2 lengths. But here’s where it gets controversial: Was So Happy’s victory a testament to his raw talent, or did Buetane’s early bump at the start throw him off his game? Let’s dive in.
Baffert’s Buetane, fresh off a second-place finish to Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Ted Noffey in the 2025 Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, was the clear 1-2 favorite. Yet, So Happy, under jockey Mike Smith, proved he was more than just a contender. Meanwhile, Kazushi Kimura on Acknowledgemeplz set a blistering early pace, clocking :22.03 for the quarter-mile and :43.56 for the half, attempting to steal the race outright. As they rounded the turn, Kimura opened up a 2 1/2-length lead, but Smith positioned So Happy perfectly in third, ready to pounce.
Buetane, who had bumped So Happy at the start, made a late charge but couldn’t close the gap. So Happy crossed the finish line in 1:21.12, with Acknowledgemeplz fading to third, 2 1/4 lengths behind Buetane. Smith praised the winner, noting, ‘I was really happy with the way he handled the seven-eighths. Usually, that’s a good sign they’ll handle two turns. He was well within himself at the wire.’
Glatt’s decision to select So Happy, a son of 2015 champion sprinter Runhappy out of the Blame mare So Cunning, paid off. Purchased for $150,000 at the 2025 Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale, So Happy races for Hans and Ana Maron’s Saints or Sinners, with Robert Norman’s Norman Stables later joining the ownership group. Glatt explained, ‘He’s a beautiful horse, and I thought, being out of a Blame mare, he might not just be a sprinter. At these sales, you’re looking for athletes, for runners. You try to pick the best you can for your budget and figure the rest out later.’
Glatt’s conservative approach—debuting So Happy in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race at Del Mar on November 22—paid dividends. The colt won by three-quarters of a length at 38-1 odds and went off as the second choice in the San Vicente, returning $7.80 to win. Bred in Kentucky by Leverett Miller, So Happy was sold as a weanling for $12,000 and as a yearling for $20,000 before his 2-year-old sale. So Cunning, a two-time winner, is a homebred for Leverett and his late wife, Linda, who also bred and raced the second dam, graded stakes-placed So Glitzy.
Runhappy, now standing stud in South Korea, won the 2015 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) and an Eclipse Award. His offspring include 2023 Hopeful winner Nutella Fella, further cementing his legacy.
Thought-provoking question: With So Happy’s impressive performance and pedigree, could he be the next big star in racing, or is it too early to tell? Share your thoughts in the comments—let’s spark some friendly debate!
