My Happy Face Hit with Virus, to Miss KY Oaks

My Happy Face, runner-up in the Frizette Stakes (gr. I) last year, is off the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) trail with a virus contracted at Gulfstream Park, owner Michael Dubb confirmed March 1.

The 3-year-old daughter of Tiz Wonderful arrived at the Kentucky Equine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center near Lexington March 1, and is expected to remain there for between 10 days and two weeks. In her only start this year, the Jan. 26 Forward Gal Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream, My Happy Face finished second by 5 1/2 lengths to Kauai Katie.

"It's not a big deal at all," Dubb said of the illness. "Her bloodwork was coming back a little off; she caught a virus at Gulfstream and the antibiotics we were giving her just weren't cutting it. We were spinning our wheels and she wasn't going to make the (March 30) Gulfstream Park Oaks (gr. II) because of the lost time so I said, 'Look, let's send her up to KESMARC where they can do nasal swabs and they can treat her better.' We wanted to get her into a sterile environment; there's been a lot of stuff going around down at Gulfstream this winter."

My Happy Face, trained by Rudy Rodriguez, has a record of two wins and three seconds from five starts, with earnings of $274,000. She has raced exclusively in stakes company since breaking her maiden by 21 1/4 lengths last summer at Saratoga Race Course in her second start. Her other win came in the Tempted Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct Racetrack.

"We wouldn't rule out the (May 19) Black-Eyed Susan (gr. II) or any of the Belmont races," Dubb said. "She'll head north after treatment and we'll plan her schedule from there."

Bred in Kentucky by Spendthrift Farm and Shawhan Place out of the stakes-winning Siberian Summer mare Summer Star, My Happy Face was a $35,000 purchase at the 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale when consigned by Shawhan Place, agent. Kim Valerio, agent, signed the ticket on the gray/roan filly.