Stewart Madison’s homebred HAPPY TICKET (Anet) moved to the fore turning for
home and powered home an impressive 5 1/2-length winner of the $250,000
Ballerina S. (G1) at Saratoga on Sunday. Trained by Andrew Leggio, the
four-year-old filly was always prominent beneath John Velazquez, as Forest Music
(Unbridled’s Song) set pressured splits of :22 and :45 for the opening
half-mile. From there it was all Happy Ticket, as the lass moved wide into the
lane and even wider late but proved clearly the best, stopping the timer for
seven furlong in 1:24 2/5 over muddy going. The 2-1 choice gave back $6, $3.80
and $3.10 while topping the $40.80 exacta and $320 trifecta.
Pleasant Home (Seeking the Gold) put in a belated run on the outside to
garner second late, worth $5.60 and $4.90 at 6-1. Molto Vita (Carson City) was in between
horses turning for home but could not hold the place, giving back $6.10 at 24-1.
Bank Audit (Wild Rush) was next and trailed by Vision of Beauty (Danzig), Forest
Music and My Trusty Cat (Tale of the Cat).
The incredible Happy Ticket moved her mark to a near impeccable 11-10-1-0
with a bankroll of $632,260. The bay filly captured the Chicago Breeders’ Cup H.
(G3) two prior, in addition to six listed stakes tallies, while suffering her
lone defeat with a good second in the Princess Rooney H. (G2).
Bred in the Louisiana, the winner was produced from the winning Love and
Happiness (Septieme Ciel) and counts herself as a half-sister to the stakes-winning Clever Seven (Clever Trick), as well as a 2005 filly by Zarbeyev.