Louisiana Great Happy Ticket Dies

Stewart Madison’s Happy Ticket, who started her career with nine straight wins and later was a grade I winner at Saratoga, died May 3. The 8-year-old Louisiana-bred daughter of Anet was found dead at the Greathouse family’s Glencrest Farm near Midway, Ky. She had produced a healthy Empire Maker   filly April 24. An autopsy revealed Happy Ticket died from foaling complications.

“She was a lovely mare,” John Greathouse said. “We were as shocked as anyone when it happened.”

Bred and raced by Madison, Happy Ticket won a dozen of 20 races. Trained by Andrew Leggio Jr., she remains the richest Louisiana-bred of all time, with earnings of $1,688,838.  

Happy Ticket won or placed in 16 stakes. Outside of Louisiana, where she won seven stakes, she captured the Ballerina Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga, the Fleur de Lis Handicap (gr. II) at Churchill Downs, and the Chicago Breeders’ Cup Handicap (gr. III) at Arlington Park.

Happy Ticket placed in six graded stakes, including the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Distaff (gr. I), Beldame Stakes (gr. I), and Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I).

Unraced at 2, Happy Ticket was a divisional champion in Louisiana all three years she raced. She also was voted 2006 Louisiana Horse of the Year at 5.

Happy Ticket, out of the winning Septieme Ciel mare Love and Happiness, also is the dam of a Distorted Humor   yearling colt, which is kept at Glencrest.