Indiana Grand | Horse Racing Free Tips

First Winner For Claiborne Farm’s Runhappy Comes At Indiana Grand

Runhappy, the most heavily-promoted stallion in America, sired his first winner as the 2-year-old Libertyrun rolled to a 6 1/4-length victory in Wednesday's fourth race at Indiana Grand Racing and Casino.

James McIngvale — the Houston furniture magnate and philanthropist known as Mattress Mack — has invested mightily to advertise Runhappy, his 2015 champion sprinter who is a stallion at famed Claiborne Farm. As it turns out, McIngvale got a little piece of his investment back as the owner and breeder of Libertyrun.

“That's the first Runhappy winner, and in Mack's silks as a matter of fact,” said Kelly Wohlers, who serves as assistant to trainer Laura Wohlers, McIngvale's sister in law. The Wohlers oversee McIngvale's racing operation and were very involved in training Runhappy. “So, we're very proud of him. Very happy for Mack.”

Libertyrun — carrying McIngvale's blue, white and red silks to victory four days after Independence Day — was exceedingly professional in his racing debut, breaking from post 12 to press the early pace from the outside and then cruising away in the stretch.

“He's not a very big horse, but he is very professional,” said jockey Miguel Mena. “He came out of the gate great. When we got to the stretch, he had his ears pricked and I hit him once and he took off running. I hit him one more time and he continued on again. I think he is a very nice horse.”

There have been four other 2-year-olds to race so far from Runhappy's first crop, which has 69 named foals.

McIngvale is known for his Texas-sized promotions and charitable works. For instance, he opened up his Gallery Furniture showrooms as shelters in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey. He also received worldwide publicity with his “Win It All” promotion where customers who had purchased mattresses or bases totaling at least $3,000 would get their money back if the Houston Astros won baseball's World Series. Those Gallery Furniture consumers cashed in on the Astros' 2017 championship and lost in seven games last year. (Mattress Mack made headlines there by wagering millions through sports books to hedge his bet.)

McIngvale is every bit as enthusiastic in promoting Runhappy by sponsoring stakes and race meets around the country. There also is a $100,000 bonus if a horse sired by Runhappy wins an open maiden race at Belmont Park, Saratoga, Del Mar or Kentucky Downs this summer.

Asked how much his boss has put into promoting Runhappy, Kelly Wohlers said, “Tons. I'm very emotional right now. It's absolutely wonderful.

“He loves to train,” he said of Libertyrun. “He's a very nice athlete. He's got Runhappy's mind, but he's got a little more pep in his step. Runhappy had pep in his step when he got to the paddock. But this horse is all the time on go. He loves what he does.”

Libertyrun, who was born in Louisiana, likely will be pointed to a stakes for Louisiana-bred 2-year-olds, Kelly Wohlers said, though he didn't rule out Ellis Park's $100,000 Runhappy Juvenile on Aug. 9.

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Report: Martin Garcia Tests Positive for COVID-19

Jockey Martin Garcia has tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced to miss his scheduled ride aboard Miss T Too (Into Mischief) for trainer Bill Mott in Wednesday night’s GIII Indiana Oaks. Daily Racing Form was first to report the news after speaking to Garcia’s agent Jay Fedor. Garcia was replaced by Julien Leparoux.

DRF said that Garcia, who had ridden at Ellis Park, Los Alamitos and Prairie Meadows in the last seven days, was tested Tuesday at Keeneland, a requirement to ride at the meeting which began Wednesday afternoon. Garcia rode at Churchill Downs for most of the month of June, DRF reported, but tested negative at that time. Fedor told DRF that Garcia was not displaying any of the coronavirus symptoms.

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Indiana Racing Commission To Consider Sale Of Tracks To Eldorado Amid Staff Concerns

The Indiana Horse Racing Commission will meet next week to consider a petition from Eldorado Resorts to purchase permits and licenses to hold racing in the state from Caesars Entertainment. Based on a redacted report released to the public this week, commission staff have expressed concern about whether the purchase would be good for racing in Indiana.

Eldorado currently owns Pompano Park in Pompano Beach, Fla., and Scioto Downs in Columbus, Ohio. It also once owned Presque Isle Downs before selling the Erie, Penn., track to Churchill Downs, Inc. and Mountaineer Park in New Cumberland, W.V., which it sold to Century Casinos last year.

While the report from executive director Deena Pitman made note of big promises made by Eldorado to the commission and horsemen about its willingness to contribute to the longterm health of racing, it also raised concerns about the company. For one thing, the report noted a decline in stock shares of Eldorado from their 52-week average and questioned whether Eldorado would continue to invest in its racing properties, particularly if new financial challenges arose as a result of COVID-19 or other factors.

More importantly though, Pitman expressed serious concern about feedback from horsemen at Pompano, Scioto and Mountaineer. Reports prepared by a third party demonstrated a poor relationship between horsemen and track management and alleged unwillingness by Eldorado to repair facilities like grandstand and seating areas and barns. At Mountaineer, the report also noted, track employees were paid far less than average before it was sold, causing staff shortages and making retention difficult. At various times, the track had been short of several assistant starters and had gone months without a track superintendent at the time of a report authored by consultant Doug Reed in February 2020, around the time the sale of the property to Century was due to close.

“Unfortunately, based on all of the information before the Commission Staff, it is not clear that ERI offers the capable leadership needed for the future of Indiana racing. This is not a conclusion that the Commission Staff reaches lightly. As stated above, the Commission Staff was impressed with the commitments that ERI offered in the March Letter. These commitments, for the first time, made Commission Staff believe that ERI was giving serious thought and consideration to its ownership of the two racing permits and its place as a steward of both racing and the Anderson and Shelbyville communities.

“On the other hand, Commission Staff cannot ignore the information in Reed's Second Report. It is difficult to reconcile the 'two sides' of ERI as an organization — one that is promising great things and making commitments to the Indiana horsemen and IHRC to be the permit holder that the Indiana industry needs. The other, an entity that is and has been clearly disinterested in horse racing since entering the industry in 2014 and seems strongly averse to spending any additional money to improve horse racing at its currently-owned properties.”

Pitman outlined a 22-item list of requirements she advised the commission require of Eldorado before approving the sale, including a racing escrow fund of $25 million to be spent over a ten-year period, application and accreditation by the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance for Indiana Grand, and more.

The commission will meet in closed executive session on Monday morning to discuss the issue, and followed by a public meeting.

Pitman's report is available here.

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Runhappy Gets Impressive First Winner at Indiana Grand

Dismissed at longshot odds after drawing in from the also-eligible list, Libertyrun (Runhappy) sprinted clear in the final furlong to get his sire (by Super Saver) off the mark in Wednesday’s fourth race at Indiana Grand. Debuting in the colors of owner/breeder Jim McIngvale as a 23-1 gamble, the Louisiana-bred jumped well and put himself right into the mix, settling about four off the inside and just off the pace into the turn. Between rivals on the bend, Libertyrun was confidently handled by Miguel Mena, responded when set down in upper stretch and kicked clear to score by an impressive 6 1/2 lengths. Paquime (Cinco Charlie) was second.

“He’s not a very big horse, but he is very professional,” said Mena. “He came out of the gate great. When we got to the stretch, he had his ears pricked and I hit him once and he took off running. I hit him one more time and he continued on again. I think he is a very nice horse.”

“I’m very emotional right now. It’s absolutely wonderful,” said Kelly Wohlers, who serves as assistant to trainer Laura Wohlers, McIngvale’s sister in law, of the much-anticipated first win for the well-advertised Runhappy.

Of Libertyrun, she said “He’s a very nice athlete. He’s got Runhappy’s mind, but he’s got a little more pep in his step. Runhappy had pep in his step when he got to the paddock. But this horse is all the time on go. He loves what he does.”

Runhappy was himself a debut winner at Turfway Park in 2014, overcoming his inexperience for an eye-catching 8 1/4-length success. Himself a five-length allowance winner at this track almost five years ago to the day, Runhappy went on to win the GI King’s Bishop S., the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint and GI Malibu S. en route to Eclipse-champion sprinter honors that season.

Libertyrun hails from the family of fellow champion Points Offthebench (Benchmark) and has a full-brother foaled this term. Dam Slews Return (Came Home) was bred back to Ready’s Image. Runhappy, who stood the 2020 breeding season for an advertised fee of $25,000, is represented by 94 juveniles from his first crop. He was the second-leading freshman sire of yearlings in 2019, per TDN Sales Statistics, and is in the same spot with 2-year-old sellers, including colts for $475,000 and $435,000 and an $800,000 RNA.

4th-Indiana Grand, $31,000, Msw, 7-8, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:05.63, ft.
LIBERTYRUN (c, 2, Runhappy–Slews Return, by Came Home) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $18,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart.
O/B-James McIngvale (LA); T-Laura Wohlers.

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