Kentucky Derby5 hr ago
So Happy soars to Kentucky Derby co-favorite: What to know about horse
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USA TodayMay 3
'Hung tough:' Jockey reflects on So Happy's race in Kentucky Derby
Updated May 3, 2026, 7:15 p.m. ETMike Smith, the Hall of Fame jockey, arrived home in Southern California less than 24 hours after riding So Happy in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 2.“I just walked in the door actually,’’ Smith told USA TODAY Sports.There was no boisterous crowd waiting to celebrate.The poignant story of So Happy did not end as Smith and many hoped.There would be no victory for trainer Mark Glatt, who had his first Kentucky Derby horse while mourning the death of his wife in February. There would be no monumental ride for Smith, who at 59 would have become the oldest jockey to win the race.So Happy, who went off as the co-favorite at 5-1 in the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby, started fast before fading and finishing ninth in the 18-horse field.“I thought it was a good trip, man,’’ Smith said of the horse’s race. “I said, we're going a little quick, but he should be good here. And he ran good, man. It was a tough race, but we beat all the California horses and a lot of others."I was proud of him, man. He hung in there tough.’’But the fast start proved
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