It took a photo, but in the end, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s KING
OF HAPPINESS (Spinning World) was the one who made the trip to the winner’s
circle in the $107,200
Inglewood H. (G3) at Hollywood Park. The six-year-old
broke well and rated just behind Mister Acpen (Chi) (Golden Voyager) through the
first call of the 1 1/16-mile turf affair in :24. The pair opened up a
four-length lead on the rest of the pack when King of Happiness moved to the
outside at the half-mile pole to pull into the lead, hitting that mark in
:47 4/5 under jockey Pat Valenzuela.
The chestnut reached six furlongs in 1:11 1/5 and looked like he would take
the race by widening lengths when he reached the mile in 1:34 4/5,
two lengths ahead of the nearest competitor, but Corey Nakatani and Red Fort
(Ire) (Green Desert) made it a challenge as the duo closed quickly down the
stretch. The two uncoupled Neil Drysdale trainees battled head to head before
hitting the wire with King of Happiness a nose in front, stopping the clock in
1:40 3/5 on a course listed as firm.
The winner returned $6.80, $3 and $2.20 at nearly 5-2 for his effort, leading
$1 exotics of $7.70 (exacta), $28.50 (trifecta) and $51.10 for the 3-6-8-5 superfecta. Red Fort gave back $2.80 and $2.20 as the 6-5 favorite while Just
Wonder (GB) (Hernando [Fr]) was four lengths back in third to give $2.20 at
5-1. Inesperado (Fr) (Zayyani [Ire]), Fail Me Not (Arg) (Handsome Halo) and
Mister Acpen followed.
A Group 3 winner in England, this was King of Happiness’ first stakes score in the United
States. He now boasts a line of 19-5-2-4. Bred in Kentucky by Flaxman Holdings,
Ltd., the six-year-old is out of dual Group 3 winner Mystery Rays (Nijinsky II)
and is a half-brother to French stakes winner Anani (Miswaki) and an unnamed
yearling filly by Gulch.