Travel Happy breaks her maiden in 2nd try, and is claimed away

In her Gulfstream Park debut on Feb. 29, Travel Happy went off at 9/2 under Luis Saez and turned in a strong performance, finishing third but missing by just half a length and a nose. In her second try on Thursday, with the race under her belt and the addition of Irad Ortiz Jr., the country’s leading rider, the 3-year-old filly bred by Shade Tree Thoroughbreds was bet down to 3/5 in a $32,000 maiden claiming race at 5 furlongs over the Tapeta surface.

Ortiz sent the daughter of Gone Astray out quickly and she led every step of the way, passing the furlong markers in :22.29 and :46.22, and reaching the wire two lengths in front, clocked in :58.50. She paid $3.20 and earned a check for $19,200, lifting her two-race total to $22,720, but owner Tracy Pinchin and trainer Jose Pinchin lost her for $25,000.