Norman Stables LLC and Saints or Sinners’ So Happy (Runhappy-So Cunning, by Blame) made a successful leap into graded company when he prevailed in the Grade 2, $200,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita Park January 10, leading the slate of stakes-winning OBS graduates for the week.
Bred by Leverett Miller and trained by Mark Glatt, So Happy’s victory kicked off a banner weekend that saw OBS graduates sweep all three graded stakes scheduled. The son of Runhappy surged to the lead inside the final furlong and held off a late charge from 1-2 favorite and fellow OBS grad Buetane to score by two lengths.
“I was really happy with the way he handled the seven-eighths because usually that’s a pretty good indication they will go two turns,” winning jockey Mike Smith told Santa Anita publicity. “He was well within himself running underneath the wire. I was really happy with the way he did things.”
So Happy was purchased by Glatt, agent for $150,000 at the 2025 OBS March Sale out of the First Call consignment after breezing in :10 flat.
So Happy’s triumph set the stage for an outstanding couple of days for Glatt and Saints or Sinners. The following day’s Santa Anita card saw the connections enjoy more success with another OBS grad when Margarita Girl (Twirling Candy-My Day, by Uncle Mo) was victorious in the Grade 3, $100,000 Las Flores Stakes to notch her first career graded win.
A 4-year-old daughter of Twirling Candy, Margarita Girl joined Glatt’s barn as a juvenile with high expectations after being purchased by Saints or Sinners for $575,000 at the 2024 OBS March Sale from the Wavertree Stables consignment after breezing in :9 4/5.
The Jan. 11 card at Santa Anita also saw Queen Maxima (Bucchero – Corfu Lady, by Corfu) earn her fifth stakes and third at the graded level when prevailing in the Grade 3, $100,000 Las Cienegas Stakes for older fillies and mares on the hillside turf course.
A 5-year-old daughter of fellow OBS grad Bucchero, Queen Maxima is owned by Dutch Girl Holdings LLC and Irving Ventures and trained by Jeff Mullins. Consigned by Blue River Bloodstock, she was purchased by Michael Pender, agent for $40,000 from the 2023 OBS June Sale after breezing in :20 3/5.
At Fair Grounds on Jan. 10, Blue Fire (Aurelius Maximus – Mystic Blue, by Maimonides) proved too much in the $100,000 Bob F. Wright Memorial Stakes, winning by 2 1/4 lengths. Owned by Stonestreet Stables and Peter Leidel and trained by Steve Asmussen, Blue Fire was purchased for $32,000 by Fast Horses out of the 2023 OBS Winter Mixed Sale from the Kaizen Sales consignment.