So Happy Carries Trainer Mark Glatt's Grief and Hope Into Kentucky Derby

Key facts

• Mike Smith, 59, will ride So Happy in his record 29th Kentucky Derby.
• Smith won the Derby twice before: on Giacomo (2005) and Justify (2018).
• Trainer Mark Glatt's wife Dena died of heart failure on Feb. 12, 2026, at age 57.
• So Happy is the 6-to-1 third favorite in the 20-horse field.
• The colt was purchased for $150,000 as a 2-year-old in training in March 2025.
• So Happy won the Santa Anita Derby to earn his Derby spot.
• Bill Shoemaker holds the record for oldest Derby winner at 54 (1986).

A Record 29th Derby for Mike Smith

At 59 years old, jockey Mike Smith will mount So Happy on Saturday for his record 29th appearance in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Smith first rode in the race as a 17-year-old in 1984, finishing sixth on Pine Circle. Now, he has a chance to become the oldest jockey ever to win the Run for the Roses, surpassing Bill Shoemaker, who was 54 when he won on Ferdinand in 1986. Smith has won the Derby twice — with Giacomo in 2005 and Justify in 2018 — and has long dreamed of a third victory. 'How much longer can I go? The way I feel right now, I’d tell you I can go another 10 years,' Smith said. 'But you get into your 60s, and I’m realistic. I understand there comes a time. I’m not saying I’m going to retire. But this could be my last Derby.' Smith began riding at age 11 at bush tracks in his native New Mexico. His first Derby trip was a hitchhiking adventure: he caught a ride from the Louisville airport with three strangers after overhearing them talk about the race.

Mark Glatt's First Derby Amid Personal Tragedy

For trainer Mark Glatt, the 152nd Kentucky Derby is both a professional pinnacle and a deeply personal journey. Glatt, who grew up in Auburn, Washington, and learned the trade from his father at Longacres in Renton, is making his Derby debut after more than 30 years in the business. 'It is my Super Bowl,' he said. But just months before So Happy earned his spot, Glatt's wife Dena died of heart failure on Feb. 12 at age 57. The couple met in the 1990s when Glatt trained at Emerald Downs; Dena was a waitress there. 'She was always by my side at the track,' Glatt recalled. 'If I had horses racing, she would be there almost every day.' Glatt now wears a bracelet containing some of her ashes. 'She’ll always be with me,' he said. The horse's name, So Happy, echoes the way Glatt describes his late wife: 'She was always so happy. She really was.' The coincidence has taken on profound meaning. 'It brings hope,' Glatt said. 'At a time when I need hope.'

The Colt's Unlikely Path to Churchill Downs

So Happy's journey to the Derby began long before he was foaled. Decades ago, breeder Leverett Miller, now 94, bought his wife Linda a filly named So Divine. Following a suggestion, he bred his mare So Cunning with champion sprinter Runhappy. The resulting colt was sold for $12,000, then $20,000 as a yearling in October 2024, before Glatt purchased him for $150,000 in March 2025 — a bargain for a Triple Crown-quality thoroughbred. 'The horse doesn’t know what you purchased him for, thank goodness,' said co-owner Ana Maron, who owns So Happy with her husband Hans and Robert Norman’s Norman Stables. The name combines the parents' names and a nod to Glatt's stoic demeanor. So Happy made his racing debut at Del Mar on Nov. 22, winning a 10-horse field. His only loss came on March 7, the five-year anniversary of Linda Miller's death from cancer at age 70. The colt then won the Santa Anita Derby, securing his place in the Kentucky Derby field.

An Emotional Roller Coaster for Connections

Jockey Mike Smith, who hugged Dena Glatt in the winner's circle after So Happy's victory in the San Vincente Stakes in January, described the emotional weight surrounding the horse. 'Some of it’s amazing. Some of it’s so sad,' Smith said. 'It’s just an emotional roller coaster, I can imagine, for Mark. He’s so happy on one hand, and then he’s so sad on the other because Dena’s not with him. But she is. I really feel like she is. I feel her presence, and I know how much she liked this horse.' Glatt remains clear-eyed about the challenge. 'In a 20-horse field, you’ve got to have a lot of luck,' he said, but acknowledged the horse has momentum. 'People think he has a pretty good shot.' So Happy climbed to 6-to-1 odds on Wednesday, making him the third favorite. For Leverett Miller, the success has been a shock. Runhappy was a champion sprinter, but So Happy has shown he can handle longer distances, making the 1 1/4-mile Derby a realistic possibility. The colt is a four-legged piece of the Miller family’s legacy.

What a Win Would Mean

If So Happy crosses the finish line first, Smith would become the oldest jockey to win the Derby at 59, breaking Shoemaker's record. For Glatt, a victory would be the crowning achievement of a career spent in the shadow of his father's legacy, achieved while carrying the memory of his wife. Smith, who has ridden in the Derby since 1984, knows this could be his last chance. 'I might even decide to ride next year, but that doesn’t mean I’ll make it back. It’s hard to get back,' he said. The race represents a convergence of personal history, professional ambition, and the enduring bond between a trainer and his late wife. As the field breaks from the gate on Saturday, So Happy will carry not only the hopes of his connections but also the weight of a story that has already captured the imagination of racing fans. Whether he wins or loses, his presence in the Derby is a testament to the unpredictable, often poignant nature of the sport.

The bottom line

• Mike Smith, 59, rides in his record 29th Kentucky Derby, aiming to become the oldest winning jockey.
• Trainer Mark Glatt's wife Dena died in February; So Happy's name echoes her joyful spirit.
• So Happy was purchased for $150,000 and is the 6-to-1 third favorite in the 20-horse field.
• The colt's breeding combines champion sprinter Runhappy with the Miller family's mare line.
• Smith won the Derby twice before and calls this possibly his last ride in the race.
• Glatt makes his Derby debut after more than 30 years as a trainer.