So Happy stuns Santa Anita Derby, punches Derby ticket

So Happy stalked the dueling leaders three deep, swept to the front at the top of the stretch and drew away to a 2 3/4-length victory Saturday in the Grade 1, $500,000 Santa Anita Derby, earning 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points and delivering trainer Mark Glatt the biggest win of his career less than two months after the death of his wife Dena.

Mike Smith rode the 7-1 shot to a final time of 1:49.01 on the fast main track in the 1 1/8-mile race for seven 3-year-olds. It marked Smith's fifth Santa Anita Derby victory and Glatt's first, with the win all but guaranteeing So Happy a spot in the May 2 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on a 100-50-25-15-10 points scale.

"It's pretty hard to describe," an emotional Glatt said from the winner's circle. "We have had an overwhelming amount of support that's helped us get through this very tough time. (Dena) got that horse there today."

Potente (6-5) and Robusta (8-1) traded the lead through the early going. Potente, ridden by Juan Hernandez for Bob Baffert, showed a head advantage through the opening quarter-mile in 23.03 seconds before Robusta, who had bobbled leaving the gate, took over along the backstretch. The half went in 46.79 seconds with Robusta on top by a head.

So Happy tracked in third, a length behind the dueling leaders through three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.11 as Potente regained the advantage. So Happy challenged the top pair three deep on the far turn, put his head in front at the top of the lane and dueled with Potente to midstretch before drawing clear through a mile in 1:36.16.

"He kept on going today," Smith said. "I thought he would be better today plus we had a better post position. Today he really felt fit and ready to race."

Potente fought gamely inside So Happy but could not match the winner's late kick, finishing 6 3/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher Vitruvian Man (45-1). He earned 50 Kentucky Derby points for Baffert, who confirmed Potente would head to Churchill Downs.

"He ran a good race," Baffert said. "He's getting fitter and getting more experience. He'll be going to Kentucky."

Vitruvian Man, trained by Doug O'Neill with Antonio Fresu aboard, stalked inside through the early stages, dropped back on the far turn but stayed on to overtake Intrepido (7-2) for third. Intrepido, the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) winner trained by Jeff Mullins, broke quickest from the outside but tracked the leaders four deep throughout and flattened in the stretch to finish fourth.

Start the Ride (65-1) stalked between rivals and faded to finish fifth. Cherokee Nation (3-1), the Baffert stablemate who was the second choice in the wagering, lost his footing at the start and never recovered.

"He missed the break," Baffert said. "That's the problem with him. Once he missed the break, it was all over."

Robusta folded after contesting the early pace and finished last.

So Happy paid $16.60, $5.80 and $3.80. Potente returned $3.20 and $2.80. Vitruvian Man paid $7.60 to show. The $1 exacta returned $23.70 and the $1 trifecta paid $301.70.

A colt by Runhappy out of So Cunning, by Blame, So Happy was a $150,000 purchase at last year's OBS March 2-year-olds in training sale. Owned by Norman Stables LLC and Saints or Sinners, he won his debut at 38-1 last November at Del Mar before taking the San Vicente (G2) going seven furlongs Jan. 10 at Santa Anita. He finished third behind Potente in the San Felipe (G2) on March 7 before turning the tables Saturday. He is 4: 3-0-1.

The victory gives Glatt his first Kentucky Derby starter. Smith, a two-time Derby winner, expressed confidence there is more to come.

"There's more there in the tank for sure," Smith said. "I'm looking forward to going to Kentucky again."