So Happy, ridden by Mike Smith and trained by Mark Glatt, won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby by 2 3/4 lengths, earning 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points and securing a spot in the May 2 Kentucky Derby. The 7-1 colt tracked the early leaders before taking command at the top of the stretch and pulling away to finish in 1:49.01 on the fast track. This victory marked Glatt’s biggest career win and his first Kentucky Derby starter, coming shortly after the passing of his wife, Dena.

Potente, trained by Bob Baffert, finished second and earned 50 Derby points, confirming his Derby plans despite losing the lead late. Vitruvian Man finished third, with other contenders like Intrepido and Cherokee Nation fading in the stretch. So Happy, a colt by Runhappy, has now won three of his four starts, showing strong potential for the upcoming Kentucky Derby, with Smith confident there is more to come from the horse.