Rich Strike Nearing Return, Pegasus Is Possible

GI Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike (Keen Ice) is making progress since being sidelined since May with tendon problems and may make it back in time to compete in the Jan. 27 GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park, reports his owner Rick Dawson.

Rich Strike last raced on May 5 when a distant fifth in the GII Alysheba S. at Churchill Downs. He was subsequently transferred from the barn of trainer Eric Reed to Hall of Famer Bill Mott.

“The bigger races we are pointing toward would include the Pegasus,” Dawson said. “That would be the first Grade I race we might go after, but he could race before that in a less-competitive race.”

Dawson said that shortly after the Alysheba, Rich Strike was sent to the Rood and Riddle clinic as a precautionary measure and it was then that it was discovered that he was suffering from problems with his tendons in both front legs.

“He's rehabbing from some issues he had with his front tendons, left front and right front,” Dawson said. “Both have recovered extremely well. Dr. Bramlage at Rood and Riddle did all the work. He's had ultrasounds, X-rays, etc. and he is doing really well. At times, his front suspensory tendons would get inflamed and get slightly damaged. They never tore but scar tissue built up in both legs. There was scar tissue where tendon fibers should have been. Through his treatment and exercise, certain feed, etc., that scar tissue started to reverse itself. It's been a long process but, basically, the tendons were able to get back to normal. We are very fortunate that he did not tear a tendon while training or running. I'm extremely happy that this was caught back in May.”

Rich Strike is currently under light training at Margaux Farm in Midway, Kentucky.

“He is jogging one day, galloping the next,” Dawson said. “We'll be there for another few weeks and at that point Bill Mott and I will discuss where we go from there. Due to his lengthy rehab and our choice to be very conservative and take our time with him so he could get back on track and so that we can give him every opportunity to come back at his best, we are looking at sometime in November for him to begin more serious training with Bill. Maybe we can catch a race in late December.”

It's been a rough go for Rich Strike since he won the 2022 Derby. He's gone 0-for-6 since and in his last two starts, the Alysheba and the GI Clark S., he was beaten a combined 25 lengths. But Dawson remains hopeful that Rich Strike can get back to the form that carried him to a shocking win in the Derby at odds of 80-1.

“We won't know more until we get him back in real training,” he said. “I'll trust Bill to inform me so far as where his skill level is. If he can return to that skill level he showed when winning the Derby, that would be fantastic. We'll see how he does and let him tell us what is next. If he can continue to run at a high level, we will continue to race him. If not, he'll retire and go to the breeding shed.”

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Runhappy’s Smile Happy Upsets Alysheba

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – 'TDN Rising Star' Smile Happy (Runhappy), eighth in last year's GI Kentucky Derby behind the re-opposing Rich Strike (Keen Ice), appears to have a very big season ahead of him after delivering a decisive 7-1 upset over a talented group of older horses assembled in Friday's GII Alysheba S. at Churchill Downs.

Smile Happy shadowed heavily favored last-out GII New Orleans Classic S. winner West Will Power (Bernardini) from an outside second through early fractions of :24.30 and :47.80. The Lucky Seven Stable colorbearer struck the front beneath Brian Hernandez, Jr. off the turn for home and kept on finding down the stretch to keep GI Pegasus World Cup winner Art Collector (Bernardini) safe by two lengths. West Will Power stayed on for third.

Winner of the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. beneath the Twin Spires as a 2-year-old, last term's GII Risen Star S. and GI Toyota Blue Grass S. runner-up made two previous starts this season at Oaklawn Park. Smile Happy kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with a smart victory in an optional claimer in the slop Mar. 16, and was most recently third as the favorite in the GIII Oaklawn Mile Apr. 1.

“I'm really not surprised,” winning trainer Kenny McPeek said. “He's tricky to deal with sometimes and the last couple of races, we've finally figured his number. We ran him back quickly at Oaklawn because he was difficult to train at Oaklawn. We got him back here and he's done everything right. But, we learned a value lesson in his last race at Oaklawn. He's a true alpha. He wants everything his own way. But, he can run like the wind. I'm really proud of him.”

It was another disappointing run from last year's monumental Derby upsetter Rich Strike, who was making his first start of the season in the Alysheba. He passed one rival home to finish fifth after trailing for most of the way.

“I'm unusually disappointed in the effort,” trainer Eric Reed said. “I'm not sure what's going on. I expected him to finish better. He was where he was supposed to be but he didn't fire at all.”

Pedigree Notes:

Smile Happy, a $175,000 KEENOV weanling and a $185,000 FTKSEL sale graduate, is one of three graded winners for Runhappy and one of 24 graded winners for broodmare sire Pleasant Tap. Smile Happy is the most recent produce from three-time winner Pleasant Smile, who brought $57,000 from Black Type Bloodstock at the 2014 KEENOV sale.

Friday, Churchill Downs
ALYSHEBA S. PRESENTED BY SENTIENT JET-GII, $600,000, Churchill Downs, 5-5, 4yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:41.29, ft.
1–SMILE HAPPY, 118, c, 4, by Runhappy
   1st Dam: Pleasant Smile, by Pleasant Tap
   2nd Dam: Relax and Smile, by Relaunch
   3rd Dam: Bunch of Smiles, by Graustark
($175,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $185,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL). 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Lucky Seven Stable (Mackin); B-Moreau Bloodstock Int'l Inc. & White Bloodstock LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.. $368,280. Lifetime Record: GISP, 8-4-2-1, $1,019,890. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Art Collector, 123, h, 6, Bernardini–Distorted Legacy, by Distorted Humor. O/B-W. Bruce Lunsford (KY); T-William I. Mott. $118,800.
3–West Will Power, 120, h, 6, Bernardini–Wild Promises, by Wild Event. O-Gary and Mary West; B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc. (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $59,400.
Margins: 2, 3/4, 8 1/4. Odds: 7.74, 3.84, 0.70.
Also Ran: Last Samurai, Rich Strike, Milliken. Scratched: Giant Game.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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