Practical Joke set to make his stakes debut in Hopeful
{{monthName}} {{day}}, {{year}} {{hour12}}:{{minuteTwoDigit}}{{dayPeriod}}
Photo:
NYRA
Practical Joke, five-length winner of his debut on August 6, is set to make his stakes debut in the Grade 1 Hopeful.
The cleverly named colt - by Into Mischief out of the Distorted Humor mare Halo Humor - was purchased by Klaravich Stables for $240,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale. He earned an 83 Beyer Speed Figure for his maiden win, in which he ran six furlongs in 1:10.02, and Sunday breezed five furlongs in 1:01.66 in advance of the seven-furlong Hopeful.
"He's doing quite well and we're excited about that," trainer Chad Brown said. "He bounced out of his debut win in good order and had a couple of good works. I think he'll appreciate the added distance. There's always some concern running only one time and going into a Grade 1, it's always a tall order. However, we think he deserves a chance."
Brown, who headed into the final six days of the meet leading Todd Pletcher, 34-26, in the trainer standings, also will saddle Klaravich's Takeover Target on closing day in the Grade 2, $250,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap.
Three of the Harlan's Holiday colt's five victories have come over less-than-firm footing, including his narrow victory in the Grade 2 Dixie in May at Pimlico. Most recently, Takeover Target finished fourth in the Grade 3 Poker over a firm course in June at Belmont.
"He always appreciates some give in the ground, but I'm not sure we'll get it with a dry forecast," Brown said. "But we'll run regardless."
* * *
Todd Pletcher has entered two fillies in Saturday's Grade 1, $350,000 Spinaway Stakes - debut winner Cherry Lodge and G3 Schuylerville winner Sweet Loretta - but his plans for Monday's Grade 1 Hopeful are up in the air.
"I honestly don't know what I'm doing there," said Pletcher, who has won three of the last 10 renewals of the Hopeful with Competitive Edge (2014), juvenile champion Shanghai Bobby (2012) and Circular Quay (2006). "When I lost Theory it kind of screwed me up."
Theory, an impressive 5 1/2-length debut winner early at the meet, was regarded as the probable favorite for the seven-furlong Hopeful before being taken out of training and sent home to WinStar Farm in Kentucky.
"The real issue is we don't know why he's not quite right," said Pletcher. "That, to me, is always the most worrisome. He was just slightly off and I didn't think his last breeze [August 20] was as good as he normally breezes. So we were sort of looking for something, we couldn't see it, so we sent him back to WinStar. They're going to do some further diagnostics and that sort of thing. Hopefully we'll get him back in the fall, probably down in Florida, and go from there."
Fact Finding, a debut winner on Whitney Day and among his four other Hopeful nominees, was expected to run but will not be entered. Pletcher said his only other possibility for the race is Sonic Mule, who was moved up from fourth to third via disqualification in the Grade 3 Saratoga Special.
"Thinking about putting Sonic Mule in there, but not sure," said Pletcher. "Also keeping an eye on the Sapling over at Monmouth."
* * *
The waters will get deeper for 2-year-old New York-bred Runaway Lute, who will make his first start in open company in Monday's Grade 1, $350,000 Hopeful.
On Tuesday, the undefeated Runaway Lute fired a bullet work over the Oklahoma training track, covering five furlongs in 1:00.71, the fastest of nine moves at the distance. Exercise rider Nick Santagata, a former jockey, was aboard.
Runaway Lute is a son of Midnight Lute, the winner of the Grade 1 Forego in 2007 at Saratoga.
"Phenomenal work," trainer Gary Contessa said. "You could tell the minute the horse broke off that the horse kept getting stronger and stronger. He actually went the first eighth in :13, and came home in :47 and change. When he pulled up, he couldn't blow out a match."
Contessa said the seven-furlong Hopeful, which is expected to include, among others, Grade 3 Sanford winner Bitumen, and a dazzling maiden winner from earlier in the meet, Practical Joke, will tell the trainer a lot more about his horse's ability.
"I think the Hopeful is the acid taste for him," Contessa said. "He won his maiden by [12 lengths] against New York-breds; he won a New York-bred stakes, so it's safe to say he is one of the better New York-breds. But now we're going to find out if he is one of the better open company 2-year-olds. The beauty of this horse is he won his maiden wire-to-wire. He got left in the gate second time out, rated, made the lead at the top of stretch, and won by [8 3/4] lengths. He has two gears. He's versatile; he's got a super, super mind, and that is a lot of it at this age. But I do know I'm up against it."
Speaking of great minds, Contessa said his rare white 2-year-old Artic Storm Cat is so accustomed to people visiting him at the barn, the gelding has become increasingly chill with all the attention.
The Jockey Club Registry has designated just roughly 170 thoroughbreds as being "white" in color. Interestingly, neither of Artic Storm Cat's parents, sire Bluegrass Cat and dam Princesspatseattle, are grays. In fact, Artic Storm Cat is not the only white horse in the family. Princesspatseattle gave birth to a half-brother by Honorable Dillion this year, who is also white.
Contessa said Artic Storm Cat, an unraced New York-bred gelding, is expected to make his career debut at the Belmont Park fall meet.
Source: NYRA Communications
Read More
This is the 17th and final installment of a weekly feature exclusive to Horse Racing Nation tracking the...
Forever Young earned a sparkling 140 Horse Racing Nation speed figure for his victory in Saturday's Breeders' Cup...
The Fasig-Tipton November Sale, held Monday at the Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Ky., posted sales of more than...
Owen Almighty , the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby winner who most recently placed third in the Perryville...
A decade after Michelle Payne became the first woman win Australia's most famous race, Jamie Melham has etched herself...