Horses

‘He didn’t fire at all.’ 2022 Derby winner Rich Strike disappoints in return to Churchill.

Herald-Leader Staff Report

Updated May 6, 2023 3:24 PM

Rich Strike, with Sonny Leon up, looked for running room between horses early in Friday’s Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs. Smile Happy, trained by Lexington’s Kenny McPeek, won the $600,000 race. Jonathan Palmer photo@jonathanpalmer.net

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Rich Strike, winner of the 2022 Kentucky Derby as an 80-1 long shot, returned to Churchill Downs to make his 2023 racing debut on Friday.

There was no miraculous finish this time.

Rich Strike finished fifth in a field of six in the $600,000, Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes on Kentucky Oaks Day in Louisville.

“I’m unusually disappointed in the effort,” trainer Eric Reed said afterward. “I’m not sure what’s going on. I expected him to finish better. He was where he was supposed to be but he didn’t fire at all.”

While his trainer was surprised, Rich Strike finished exactly where the betting public figured he would as the fifth choice at post time in a seasoned field of talented older horses.

Smile Happy put away favored West Will Power at the top of the stretch and then turned back a bid from Art Collector by 2 lengths to win the 20th running of the race for 4-year-olds and up, the first of seven stakes Friday on the Kentucky Oaks program at Churchill.

Trained by Lexington-based Kenny McPeek and ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Smile Happy covered the mile and a sixteenth over a fast main track in 1:41.29.

“I’m really not surprised,” McPeek said. “He’s tricky to deal with sometimes and, the last couple of races, we’ve finally figured his number. … He’s a true alpha. He wants everything his own way. But he can run like the wind. I’m really proud of him.”

West Will Power set the pace with Smile Happy tracking just to his outside. On the far turn, Smile Happy drew alongside West Will Power and hit the front at the top of the stretch as Art Collector launched a three-wide bid.

Smile Happy maintained a narrow margin on Art Collector through the stretch run before pulling clear in the final yards.

Winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill as a 2-year-old, Smile Happy became a millionaire with the Alysheba victory that was worth $368,280. Now 8-4-2-1 for his career, Smile Happy has earned $1,019,890.

Smile Happy, with Brian J. Hernandez Jr. up, won the Alysheba Stakes by 2 lengths over Art Collector at Churchill Downs on Friday. Silas Walker swalker@herald-leader.com

Smile Happy is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Runhappy.

Smile Happy returned $17.48, $6.74 and $3.18. Art Collector paid $4.88 and $2.66 and finished three-quarters of a length in front of West Will Power, who delivered $2.22 to show.

It was another 8 ¼ lengths back to Last Samurai, who was followed in order by Rich Strike and Milliken.

Flavien Prat, who rode the favorite, West Will Power, said: “The winner was just going better than me all the way around. I was pleased with my trip but he was on top of me the whole race. (Smile Happy) was moving better than me. I think (West Will Power) needs more ground.”

Rich Strike was racing Friday for the first time since finishing sixth in the Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs on Nov. 25 of last year. He’s still looking for his first win since the Kentucky Derby after six subsequent starts and has won only two races in 14 career races.