The emotional story surrounding So Happy at the 2026 Kentucky Derby extends far beyond the racetrack, as trainer Mark Glatt prepares for the biggest race of his career while continuing to mourn the loss of his wife, Dena Glatt. The two had been married for 25 years. Dena died on February 12 at the age of 57.
Dena Glatt cause of death
According to TODAY.com, her cause of death was heart failure – a devastating loss that came just months before So Happy’s breakthrough run to Churchill Downs.
Glatt has spoken openly about the emotional toll the loss has taken as he navigates the Kentucky Derby spotlight for the first time in his three-decade training career.
“She was right by my side, and a big part of what I do professionally, as well as being my life partner,” he said in an interview that aired May 1 on TODAY.
How So Happy is giving Mark Glatt hope
The timing made So Happy’s rise through the Derby trail especially emotional. After capturing the Santa Anita Derby – the biggest victory of Glatt’s career – the trainer admitted the celebration felt incomplete without Dena beside him.
“It’s not the same, I can’t help wishing she was here,” Glatt told NBC after the April race. “It’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with in my life.
“She was always right by my side and supported me. … It’s just a very big void in the day.”
Glatt later reflected on the moment again while speaking to FanDuel Racing.
“I hadn’t won a Santa Anita Derby,” Glatt said to FanDuel Racing. “It was my first one. So that was very thrilling and exciting. But we were missing my wife.
“My wife passed away a couple months ago, and she was always by my side. It was bittersweet because she wasn’t here to share my biggest career win.”
The grief was also evident immediately after the Santa Anita Derby triumph.
“Dena didn’t walk to the winner’s circle with me. And, you know, that was tough,” he told FanDuel Racing after the race while fighting back tears.
“It was bittersweet because she wasn’t here to share my biggest career win,” he added.
Despite the heartbreak, Glatt believes Dena remains connected to the journey as So Happy enters the Kentucky Derby as a legitimate contender.
“I think she’d be very proud of an accomplishment like this. We’re still together, you know, even if it’s just in spirit,” he told reporters before the race.
Jockey Mike Smith weighs in
Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, who rides So Happy, also described feeling Dena’s presence during the Santa Anita Derby stretch run.
“I called on Dena at the 8th pole. I said, oh, pick us up, man,” Smith told FanDuel Racing in an April 22 interview. “Pick us up and get us home, and he just took off, man.
“And when I pulled up, that’s the first thing I did. I looked to the skies and just wanted to look up there and tell her we did it, you know. … She (Dena) would want him to enjoy this, man. She would want him to ride this thing through its fullest. It’s going to be tough on him, but he’s got a chance to run extremely well.”
Smith, seeking another Derby victory late in his legendary career, believes the emotional connection surrounding the horse and trainer has added another layer to the Run for the Roses.
Meanwhile, Glatt insists he is not simply satisfied reaching Churchill Downs for the first time.
“We’re here to not just participate. We’re here to hopefully get the job done,” he told reporters.