Simply Joking (Practical Joke) was certainly for real, kicking off her career with a debut victory in Saturday's Letellier Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds.
Well backed at 5-2 with a flashy worktab on display for trainer Whit Beckman, the $65,000 Keeneland September yearling wasn't off to the sharpest of beginnings and trailed the field of six in the early stages. Fifth and traveling nicely approaching the quarter pole, she rolled up five wide at the top of the stretch and outbattled Delta Downs runaway debut winner Whata Moon (Gormley) to win by a neck.
“We always thought this one was a tick better (than debut winner and morning-line favorite Her Laugh, who was scratched),” Beckman said. “That's what she's shown in the morning. Timing-wise, the (Silverbulletday) could be her next spot. We'll see how she comes out of it.”
Winning jockey Jaime Torres added, “It was impressive. She was a little green, being her first race but I think with a little more time, she's going to figure out her job. We're very excited (about her talent).”
The final time of 1:10.33 bested Tough Catch (Complexity)'s final clocking of 1:10.48 in the male equivalent one race earlier in the Sugar Bowl Stakes.
Simply Joking becomes the 42nd stakes winner for Practical Joke. After producing a filly by Uncle Mo this year, the winner's dam Imply was bred back to Good Magic.
LETELLIER MEMORIAL S., $100,000, Fair Grounds, 12-21, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.33, ft.
1–SIMPLY JOKING, 117, f, 2, by Practical Joke
1st Dam: Imply (MSW, $772,728), by E Dubai
2nd Dam: Allude, by Orientate
3rd Dam: Ed's Holy Cow, by Bet Big
($65,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Grantley
Acres, Conner, Ryan & Berkels0813; B-Barlar, LLC (PA); T-D.
Whitworth Beckman; J-Jaime A. Torres. $63,000. Lifetime
Record: 1-1-0-0, $63,000. *1/2 to Drum Roll Please (Hard
Spun), SW & GSP, $186,540.
2–Whata Moon, 117, f, 2, Gormley–Accelebrate, by Northern
Afleet. ($17,000 Ylg '23 FTKOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Simmons
and Associates, Inc.; B-Shooting Star Thoroughbreds & Billy
Ballard (KY); T-Jayde J. Gelner. $20,000.
3–Gerlin's Empire, 116, f, 2, Classic Empire–French Press, by
Curlin. ($10,000 Wlg '22 KEENOV; $15,000 Ylg '23 EASOCT;
$50,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Gervais Racing,
LLC; B-Informed Equine investments (KY); T-Dallas Stewart.
$10,000.
Margins: NK, 5, 3/4. Odds: 2.80, 1.60, 5.60.
Also Ran: Sycamore Shoals, Black Ginger, Nomoretanlines. Scratched: Her Laugh.
Click for the Equibase.com chart.
On debut, SIMPLY JOKING ($7.60) was seriously game in the $100,000 Letellier Memorial at @fairgroundsnola. @jaimetorresjcky gave a brilliant ride on the daughter of Practical Joke (@coolmoreamerica) for trainer Whitworth Beckman.
All stakes Pick 3: https://t.co/osjLdyJeyS pic.twitter.com/FsaqIpNGN5
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 21, 2024
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