Practical Joke
Bay Colt / April 14th, 2014 in KY / by Into Mischief out of Halo Humor
$1,056,000
2017 earnings
121
speed figure
25%
2017 wins
racing Record
2017 Stats
Career Stats
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2
Firsts
5
2
Seconds
2
2
Thirds
3
2
Unplaced
2
8
Starts
12
$1,056,000
Earnings
$1,795,800
$132,000
Earnings / Start
$149,650
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Bio
Practical Joke broke his maiden at Saratoga in his first career start, galloping to a four-length win. He made his next start in the Hopeful Stakes on closing day at the track and again impressed, winning the seven-furlong Grade 1 race by a neck in only his second start. He became the first male Grade 1 winner on dirt for trainer Chad Brown, who has had most of his high-level success on the turf.
Practical Joke broke his maiden at Saratoga in his first career start, galloping to a four-length win. He made his next start in the Hopeful Stakes on closing day at the track and again impressed, winning the seven-furlong Grade 1 race by a neck in only his second start. He became the first male Grade 1 winner on dirt for trainer Chad Brown, who has had most of his high-level success on the turf.
The bay colt showed his ability to rate off the pace and make a strong closing run yet again when stretched out to a mile in the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park on Oct. 8, running down pacesetter Syndergaard to win the head bob at the finish and improve to a perfect three wins in as many starts. Practical Joke earned an automatic berth in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Oct. 5 at Santa Anita Park with his win in the Champagne. He finished third in that race on Nov. 5 behind Classic Empire and Not This Time.
Practical Joke returned from an extended layoff in the Fountain of Youth Stakes on March 4 at Gulfstream Parh. He ran well in his return, launching his bid on the turn and finishing behind winner Gunnevera. Following that race, Practical Joke shipped to Keeneland for the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes. He made a bold move under Joel Rosario coming out of the far turn to challenge longshot leader Irap, but fell short by three-quarters of a length. Practical Joke added 40 more qualifying points for the 2017 Kentucky Derby with his runner-up effort.
After a solid fifth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, Practical Joke was given a respite and returned on July 8 in the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes. He reeled in pacesetter Battalion Runner in the stretch and puled clear to a two-length victory.
Practical Joke’s next start was the July 30 Grade 1 betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes. He rallied alongside eventual winner Girvin through the stretch, but could not match strides late, and settled for third.
Shortened back to seven furlongs for the Aug. 26 Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes, Practical Joke wore down pacesetter Takaful to win by 1 ¼ lengths. The H. Allen Jerkens was his third career Grade 1 victory.
Practical Joke is a son of Into Mischief out of the Distorted Humor mare Halo Humor. He was purchased for $240,000 as a yearling at the Keeneland September sale.
