Happy Happy Day Set to Improve at Churchill Downs

The winner of the 2023 G1 Gran Premio Jockey Club will make his second U.S. start this afternoon at Churchill Downs, having finished last in his American debut 40 days ago

Happy Happy Day in His Finest Hour / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (Special for Turf Diario).- After a quiet first outing on American soil, Argentine G1 winner Happy Happy Day will look to turn things around this afternoon when he returns to action on the turf at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Paulo Lobo for Stud Las Monjitas, the son of Hi Happy (Arg) is entered in the eighth race on the card, an $80,000 allowance optional claiming event offering a purse of $134,000 and to be contested over 1 1/16 miles on the grass. Drawn in post 7 in a field of 10, he’ll be partnered for the first time by Joseph Ramos, and was listed at 20-1 on the morning line.

A dominant winner of the G1 Gran Premio Jockey Club in 2023 at San Isidro, Happy Happy Day has been working steadily since finishing last in his U.S. debut at Churchill on May 10, a race contested under similar conditions.

Likely favorite Green Light (Hard Spun) will be ridden by Luan Machado, who was aboard Happy Happy Day for his stateside debut. The Rodolphe Brisset trainee enters off a sharp allowance win at Keeneland and appears to be the horse to beat on paper.