Practical Joke, a respectable fifth in the GI Kentucky Derby last time, made it a perfect four-for-four in races around one turn with this impressive tally.
Last year's GI Hopeful S. and GI Champagne S. winner was knocked down late to 3-5 favoritism and settled in fourth, about four lengths behind 'TDN Rising Star' Battalion Runner through moderate splits of :23.12 and :47.15. Advancing menacingly up the inside nearing the turn for home, he was stymied in traffic until mid-stretch, but finished full of run once finding clear sailing in the middle of the track, taking over at the sixteenth pole and kicking clear to win as much the best.
“The pace wasn't that strong,” winning trainer Chad Brown said. “On top of that, the horse was giving six to eight pounds to every horse in the race. He really ran well today. I certainly think it's the best race he's ever won.”
Jockey Joel Rosario added, “I had a good trip. There weren't a lot of horses in the race, so I stayed inside for a bit. It looked like [Battalion Runner] was probably going to go, so I just kept an eye on him. [Practical Joke] ran a big race today. He was the best horse in the race. He looked good and finished really strongly. That's what we were hoping for.”
Third in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita Nov. 5, Practical Joke completed the exacta in both the GII Xpressbet Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Mar. 4 and GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland Apr. 8.
Pedigree Notes:
Practical Joke was the fourth most-expensive yearling by Into Mischief from 85 to sell in 2015 when offered at the Keeneland September Sale. The stakes-placed Halo Humor, a half-sister to Louisiana Futurity S. winner Cubera (Cape Canaveral), did not produce foals in 2015 or 2016 and was covered last year by Shanghai Bobby and Overanalyze. Halo Humor brought $130,000 from Whispering Oaks Farm at the 2008 KEEJAN sale.
Saturday, Belmont Park
DWYER S.-GIII, $384,000, BEL, 7-8, 3yo, 1m, 1:35.16, ft.
1–PRACTICAL JOKE, 123, c, 3, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Halo Humor (SP), by Distorted Humor
2nd Dam: Gilded Halo, by Gilded Time
3rd Dam: Careless Halo, by Sunny's Halo
($135,000 Ylg '15 KEEJAN; $240,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP).
O-Klaravich Stables, Inc. & William H. Lawrence; B-Whispering
Oaks (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Joel Rosario. $220,000. Lifetime
Record: MGISW, 8-4-2-1, $1,295,800. Werk Nick Rating: A+++
*Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”gainesway-consigned-by”][bullet ad=”a-gaineswaygeorge-bolton-pinhook”][bullet ad=”nick-de-meric-de-meric-stables-graduate”][bullet ad=”vinery-sales-grad”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]2–Tale of Silence, 117, c, 3, Tale of the Cat–Silence Beauty
(Jpn), by Sunday Silence. O/B-Charles Fipke (KY); T-Barclay
Tagg. $80,000.[bullet ad=”mckathan-brothers-training-grad”]3–Battalion Runner, 117, c, 3, Unbridled's Song–Tamboz, by
Tapit. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($700,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Teresa
Viola Racing Stables & St. Elias Stable; B-Dell Ridge Farm, LLC
(KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $48,000.[bullet ad=”stgeorge-salesgrad”][bullet ad=”crupi-trained”]Margins: 2, NK, 1. Odds: 0.75, 43.00, 1.35.
Also Ran: Giuseppe the Great, True Timber.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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