Practical Joke Not Fooling Around in the Hopeful Stakes
The Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes was added to the tally of leading trainer Chad Brown, and leading rider Jose Ortiz when their charge Practical Joke captured the seven furlong race in a thrilling finish.
The favorite, Classic Empire, ducked to the far outside soon after the start of the race, losing jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the process. The colt was immediately stopped by the outrider.
Meanwhile, Pretty Boy Flash and Royal Copy teamed up on the front end and led the small field through a 23.80 first quarter. Practical Joke and jockey Jose Ortiz settled on the rail behind the pair, with Sanford Stakes winner Bitumen to his far outside and Runaway Lute between them. Everybodyluvsrudy sat directly behind the group. The bunched up two year olds ran the half mile in 47.69.
As they rounded the corner, Pretty Boy Flash and Royal Copy continued to duke it out, getting six furlongs in 1:11.27. Practical Joke swung to the outside and gained ground on the pair. The trio were on even terms a half furlong from the wire, but Practical Joke inched forward to capture the win by a long neck in 1:23.39. Only a nose bob separated Royal Copy & Pretty Boy Flash. It was 6 ¾ lengths back to Bitumen, who had raced wide the entire way.
Practical Joke returned $6.20, $3.90 for the win, 3.20, Royal Copy paid $13.40, $7.10 for second, and Pretty Boy Flash offered $8.10 for show. The $2 exacta paid $53.00. The $2 Trifecta returned a generous $569.00 and the $0.10 superfecta was $115.40.
Practical Joke (Into Mischief – Halo Humor, by Distorted Humor) was bred by Whispering Oaks Farm and sold as a short yearling at the Keeneland January 2015 sale for $135,000 to Clear Ridge Stables. The dark bay colt went back into the Keeneland sales ring in the 2015 September yearling sale and attracted $240,000 from Aquinnah Ventures for owners Klaravich Stables, Inc. and William Lawrence. Practical Joke is conditioned by Chad Brown. The colt is undefeated in two starts and has earned $259,800.
Winning Jockey Jose Ortiz commented, “I think he's a pretty nice horse. He's got tactical speed, he can run close to the pace, and he fired when I asked him to run. The pace was pretty slow. I thought about taking the lead as soon as we broke because I knew we were going so slow. But something told me, don't do it, and the trip worked out perfect.”
Ortiz continued, "He was running the whole way. He gave me a great turn of foot when I got him in the clear but the other two horses were in front and they kept fighting a little bit. As soon as he put a head in front, he kept going.”
The young pro naturally had plenty of praise for trainer Chad Brown, “Chad is a great guy, a great person and a great trainer. He proved it to everyone at Saratoga. I'm very grateful to win the Hopeful, it's a Grade 1, on a promising 2-year-old like Practical Joke. I want to thank them for giving me the opportunity to ride him.”
Ortiz mused, “I don't know what Chad's thinking but he could go in the Champagne; it's up to him, up to Mr. Klarman, but whatever they do, he's a pretty nice horse."
Trainer Chad Brown set a new meet record for wins in Sunday’s tenth race with 39 victories and added the Hopeful Stakes today for a total of 40 wins for the 2016 Saratoga meet, breaking a five-year-old record set by Todd Pletcher.
Brown was understandably all smiles after the Hopeful, "It's been a pleasure to train him. That first race I thought he ran well and his second time here he also came back to run a huge race. He was able to sit off and track the pace. Jose gave him an unbelievable ride and he looked like he was extending away in the stretch so I don't think any added distance will be an issue. It's been a pleasure to train for these guys Seth Klarman [of Klaravich Stables] and William Lawrence. Next out, we'll probably point to the Champagne [Grade 1, $500,000 on October 8 at Belmont Park].