So Happy soars to Kentucky Derby co-favorite: What to know about horse

May 2, 2026Updated May 3, 2026, 3:23 p.m. ETEditor's note: Follow coverage of the 2026 Kentucky Derby throughout the day. The horse that went off as a 38-1 long shot for his racing debut suddenly is the co-favorite for the 152nd Kentucky Derby.The 3-year-old bay colt, So Happy, is 5-1 along with co-favorite Commandment. About a week ago, shortly after arriving at Churchill Downs in Louisville from California, his early odds were 15-1.So how did the horse trained by Mark Glatt and ridden by Mike Smith make the improbable ascent?Like a lot of humans, it turns out So Happy is not at his best in the morning. Or, more specifically, he’s unimpressive during morning workouts. And those workout times are available to the bettors.“He’s never been a horse that's flashy in the morning,’’ Smith, the Hall-of-Fame jockey, told USA TODAY Sports before the Kentucky Derby. “He just seems to do what he has to do.’’In addition to the pedestrian workouts, So Happy’s sire, Runhappy, had underperformed as a stallion. So Happy sold for just $20,000 as a yearling before Glatt bought him for $150,000 and sold him to two of his clients, Ana and Hans Maron. Norman Stables has also