Practical Joke

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - With plenty of activity at the top of the market, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training concluded its three-day run with increases in average and median over last year's two-session renewal and five juveniles selling for seven figures, led by a co-record $2-million son of Good Magic. "I thought it was a really good sale and it held strong all the way through," said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. "There were quality horses on each...

Pierre Jean Amestoy Jr. has never been to the Kentucky Derby. Not even as a spectator. However, the 2023 renewal may very well change that fact after Practical Move (Practical Joke), who he owns in partnership with his wife Leslie and Roger Beasley, stamped himself a major Classic contender with a victory in last weekend's GII San Felipe S. at Santa Anita. "My wife and I were very emotional after the win," said Pierre Amestoy. "It was phenomenal. It was exhilarating. We're just elated." "I guess we're heading to the...

With commercial sires nowadays represented by such enormous cavalries, it's unsurprising that they should encounter random statistical clusters. These tend to even themselves out, so that a stallion that "hits form" with a sudden spate of stakes performers will also endure barren spells that naturally receive rather less attention. What every farm covets, then, is for a horse to get on a roll while there are still mares out there with mating decisions pending for this spring--and there's no better way to do that than making some noise on the...

Trainer Tim Yakteen had five of the 11 entrants in Saturday's GII San Felipe S. at Santa Anita--four of which were transferred from the Bob Baffert barn--but the horse who had been with him from the start, Practical Move (Practical Joke), emerged victorious in the GI Kentucky Derby prep. With new stablemate and morning-line choice National Treasure (Quality Road) forced to scratch with a foot issue, Practical Move was backed at 4-1, having not been seen since annexing the GII Los Alamitos Futurity decisively in December. He worked his way...

With her undefeated record on the line, Shidabhuti earned 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks with a win in the  Busher S. at Aqueduct Saturday. Dismissed at 5-1 behind heavily favored Asset Purchase, she was forced back after contact at the break to track that favorite from third. Racing alongside Capella up the backstretch, Shidabhuti loomed four wide between rivals as the field swung around the bend and outdrove Asset Purchase down the lane, assuming command with a sixteenth to run and clearing off nicely for the...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 7th-GP, $84K, Msw, 3yo, f, 5fT, 3:07 p.m. A $560,000 2-year-old purchase by China Horse Club out of the 2022 Keeneland Horses of Racing Age Sale, TACTICAL JOKE (Practical Joke) debuts Friday for trainer Wesley Ward. Already a half-sister to a trio of stakes  horses in MSP Afleet Accompli (Afleet Alex), GSP Desert Dynamo (Desert Party), and GSP Ambusher (Stephen Got Even), the filly is out of a half-sister to the dam of GI Central Bank Ashland S. winner Sailor's Valentine (Mizzen Mast)--who brought $1.25m...

As we approach the opening of the 2023 breeding season, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why. Up this week, Jim Connor. GIBBET (m, 8, War Front--Cross, by Mighty), in foal to Liam's Map and going to Practical Joke in 2023 I own this mare in partnership with my cousin Vincent Colbert, who bred Chocolate Gelato, so he is a big Practical Joke fan...didn't take much to convince me. We take turns picking the...

Richard Mandella's Ice Dancing (Frosted), the only filly in a scratched-down field of five with a graded-stakes placing already to her name, will seek her first win since breaking her maiden in Sunday's rescheduled Santa Ynez S. at 'The Great Race Place.' The Grade III event, which was originally scheduled for last Sunday's New Year's Eve program, carries Kentucky Oaks points to the tune of 20-8-6-4-2, which will go to the top five finishers that are not associated with Bob Baffert. A homebred for Bass Stables LLC, the newly minted...

5th-Turfway, $68,250, Msw, 1-1, 3yo, f, 6f (AWT), 1:11.30, ft, 5 lengths. DEVIOUS STARES (f, 3, Practical Joke--Yankee Bright, by Elusive Quality), sent away as the 7-2 third choice behind favored Juddmonte homebred Friction (Into Mischief), endured a wide trip from her outside gate, racing in fifth as Lanetta (Mastery) paced the field through a quarter in :22.64. Ridden hard by jockey Kent Desormeaux into the far turn while four wide, she powered to the front with all the momentum, stormed by late leader and eventual runner up, 21-1 shot...

In each of his four previous trips to the post, Practical Move (Practical Joke) had finished behind Bob Baffert-trained runners, but the bay colt--conditioned by former Baffert assistant Tim Yakteen--exacted his revenge in a big spot Saturday afternoon, outfinishing pacesetting Carmel Road (Quality Road) to upset the GII Los Alamitos Futurity as the 10-1 second-longest price on the board. Fort Bragg (Tapit), who was demoted from an apparent victory over Practical Move two starts back, completed the trifecta, while hot favorite 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Lion (Justify) was a spent...

3rd-Churchill Downs, $125,785, Alw (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($100,000), 11-26, 2yo, 6f, 1:09.52, ft, neck. VICTORY FORMATION (c, 2, Tapwrit--Smart N Soft, by Smart Strike) sailed home to 'TDN Rising Star'-dom last out Oct. 21 against a deep Keeneland maiden special field, going coast-to-coast by 4 3/4 lengths to become the first for his sire to garner the accolade. Hammered down to 6-5 favoritism here on the step up into the allowance ranks, he vied with a rival early from the rail through :21.44 and :45.11 splits. After briefly leading and then...

An unraced 2-year-old colt by record-setting sire Into Mischief brought $1 million from Mick Wallace, agent, on behalf of Gandharvi Racing, to dissolve a partnership very late in the day to top Keeneland's single-session November Horses of Racing Age Sale Thursday. Produced by Gaudete (Distorted Humor)--an unraced half-sister to leading young sire Munnings (Speightstown)--Hip 5352 was consigned by Highgate Sales, Agent XXXV. The topper previously brought $350,000 from China Horse Club/Gandharvi Racing at last year's Keeneland September Sale. His yearling half-brother by Violence brought $300,000 from Repole Stable and St....