In November, So Completely satisfied entered the beginning gate as a 38-1 longshot with little expectations on him. Two months later, he has proven himself to the racing world as one of many thrilling younger skills within the recreation.
After pulling the upset in that debut, the son of Runhappy confirmed professionalism and conviction with a robust efficiency within the San Vicente Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park Jan. 10, beating the Bob Baffert-trained, odds-on favourite Buetane by 2 lengths.
Video: San Vicente S. (G2)
“I assumed it was fairly darn spectacular,” stated the colt’s breeder, Leverett Miller. “I simply did not anticipate it, it was fairly good.”
As a member of the Whitney household, Miller comes from a distinguished line of horsemen and ladies who actually know a powerful efficiency after they see one. He and his late spouse, Linda, bred 2007 Carter Handicap (G1) winner Silver Wagon and, on the racing aspect, he’s in possession of the legendary stable Eton blue silks and brown cap that date again to his nice grandfather, William C. Whitney.Join BloodHorse Day by day
Picture: Anne M. EberhardtLeverett Miller (second from proper) and grandson Royal Douglass current the 2021 Whitney Stakes trophy to the connections of Knicks Go at Saratoga Race Course
The mare, So Crafty , holds nice private worth to Miller. A fourth era homebred for the Millers, So Crafty descends from the profitable Employees Author mare So Divine. So Divine was the primary filly that Miller purchased his spouse after they married and lots of the offspring the couple owned in partnership, or Linda owned herself, have carried the phrase “So” of their names.
A median racehorse, So Divine went on to be a stable producer. Included in her progeny was 1996 Virginia Handicap (G3) winner Race Artist, a number of stakes winner So Dashing, stakes winner So Charming, and So Frank, who set monitor information at Bluegrass Downs for each 1 and a couple of miles.
“So Divine went from being bred to the teaser to being bred to Mr. Prospector,” Miller stated of her rise to success. That daughter of Mr. Prospector was Race Artist, who herself produced two stakes winners.
So Divine’s daughter So Ritzy would start the department that ultimately led to So Completely satisfied, producing grade 3-placed So Glitzy, the dam of So Crafty.
A two-time winner from three begins, Miller opted to breed the daughter of Blame to Claiborne stallion Runhappy following a dialog he had with Dell Hancock, a lifelong pal who was a former classmate of Linda’s. She advised Miller she had two very good foals by Runhappy out of Blame mares and recommended he breed So Crafty to him. After talking with one other pal, Bernie Sams, he determined to present it a attempt.
The consequence was So Completely satisfied. Miller and his spouse had all the time operated by promoting the colts of their mares at public sale and retaining the fillies, if doable, so the choice was a straightforward one to level him towards the gross sales.
“This was a colt that we had been all the time going to promote,” Miller stated. “He was not precisely a powerful weanling, as you would inform be the value.”
So Completely satisfied offered for simply $12,000 on the 2023 Keeneland November Breeding Inventory Sale and was pinhooked for $20,000 on the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale the following yr. He was then provided once more on the 2025 Ocala Breeders’ March Sale of 2-Yr-Olds in Coaching the place he introduced $150,000 from coach Mark Glatt as agent for Hans and Ana Maron, who race below the title Saints or Sinners. In a while, Robert Norman’s Norman Stables would purchase into the colt. By way of two begins, he has earned $156,000.
The colt Miller noticed on his tv display screen Saturday was actually a lot completely different than the one he offered as a yearling, and the 94-year-old is happy for what the long run will carry. That connection So Completely satisfied’s pedigree holds to Miller’s late spouse has made seeing the colt’s success all of the extra particular.
“(So Crafty) was the final mare that she and I owned collectively. It’s totally particular,” he stated. “It means an incredible quantity to have horse. I am 94 years previous, I am not going to have too many extra of them.”
Miller hopes that perhaps the younger 3-year-old can discover his approach into the Kentucky Derby (G1) beginning gate. Champion sprinter in 2015, Runhappy, who was offered to face stud in South Korea forward of the 2026 season, was identified for his capacity at dash distances. Nonetheless, Miller and the colt’s homeowners and coach are hopeful that the Blame affect on the pedigree will assist add distance.
Miller has tasted success on the Derby path earlier than. He helped plan the mating of Nation Home , who gained the 2019 Kentucky Derby (G1) by way of disqualification, for breeder Joseph Shields Jr.
It does seem that So Completely satisfied will get his likelihood on the Derby path as Glatt advised Santa Anita publicity Jan. 11 that he would doubtless stretch out to 1 1/16 miles within the $200,000 San Felipe Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita March 7, which awards Derby qualifying factors on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale.
“I am positive he’ll run in one among these preps developing right here and we’ll see if he can go two turns.” Glatt stated. “My first inclination could be to run within the San Felipe, however issues change.”
The colt’s Corridor of Fame jockey, Mike Smith, was optimistic that So Completely satisfied could possibly be profitable going longer.
“The way in which he dealt with the seven-eighths, normally that is a reasonably good indication they may go two turns,” Smith stated Saturday from the winner’s circle. “He was nicely inside himself working beneath the wire.”