Hi Happy to remain in Grade 1 company; next race not set for Patch

La Providencia's Hi Happy has emerged from his late running, half-length victory in Saturday's Grade 1, $700,000 Man o' War in fine fettle, trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday.

The 1 3/8-mile Man o' War marked the second win of the year for the 6-year-old son of Pure Prize, following a 2 ¾-length score last time out in the Grade 2 Pan American on March 31 at Gulfstream Park, but the first of his 13-race career contested over a turf course listed as "good."

Beginning his career as a 3-year-old, Hi Happy was undefeated in six starts in his native Argentina, including three Group 1 wins, before moving to the U.S. in 2016. He raced four times on the West Coast, including a close third-place finish in last year's Grade 3 Tokyo City at Santa Anita Park, before moving to Pletcher. He made his first start for his new connections with a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf in February, coming in a length behind multiple Grade 1 winner Heart to Heart.

"We got the trip [in the Man o' War] we thought we would get based on the way he's been running, and the way we projected the pace scenario did develop," said Pletcher, who picked up his first victory in the Man o' War. "So, it worked out as we'd hoped.

"Looking back at his South American form, he didn't show any races on soft ground that I could see and the turf course was firm at Gulfstream," he added. "I didn't know how he was going to be affected by the rain yesterday. It seemed like the turf was playing pretty firm earlier that day but then we got that rain in the last hour before the race. But, it seemed like he handled it fine."

Pletcher said a start in the Grade 1, $1 million Woodford Reserve Manhattan on Belmont Stakes Day is on the table for Hi Happy, adding that the Grade 1 United Nations on June 30 at Monmouth Park could be another option.

"[The Manhattan is] a possibility if he bounces back in time," he said. "We might consider the United Nations too if he needs more time."

Pletcher also reported that Calumet Farm's Patch, the one-eyed fan favorite from last year's Triple Crown trail, exited his allowance victory in good order. Saturday's neck victory was the first race for the 4-year-old Union Rags colt since finishing fourth in the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby last August. 

Overall, Patch boasts a 2-2-1 record from seven career starts, including a runner-up finish in the 2017 Grade 2 Louisiana Derby and a third-place result in last year's Belmont.

"Patch is game in victory," said Pletcher. "He's very popular and deservedly so. He's a cool horse. He hasn't run a lot but he's pretty consistent and he's accomplished quite a bit in the few starts he's had.

"We'll see how he comes back [before deciding on his next race]," he added. "He still has some allowance conditions left but we won't be afraid to try a stakes if he comes back well."