Hopeful S.

By Evan Hammonds

Practical Joke, the 2.10-to-1 second choice In the 112th running of the Hopeful Stakes for 2-year-olds at Saratoga Race Course, prevailed in a photo over Royal Copy and Pretty Boy Flash. The son of Into Mischief covered the seven furlongs in 1:23.39.

Classic Empire, who went off as the 8-5 favorite, wheeled soon after coming out of the gate from post six, unseating Irad Ortiz Jr.

Royal Copy was a 15.10-to-1 chance and Pretty Boy Flash was 25.75-to-1 in the seven-horse field. Those two broke alertly and took the early advantage with the pair swapping leads early while setting moderate fractions of :23.80 and :47.69. They were tracked by Practical Joke and the New York-bred Runaway Lute with 3.35-to-1 third choice Bitumen to his outside. After sitting third at the first call,Everybodyluvsrudy trailed throughout the rest of the race.

Royal Copy and Pretty Boy Flash continued their two-horse battle on the lead through six furlongs in 1:11.27, but Practical Joke was getting to them while traveling best in the middle of the track. He collared the pair of pacesetters in the final jumps. Bitumen was fourth.

The winner, the sixth foal of Halo Humor, by Distorted Humor races for Klaravich Stables and William H. Lawrence, and caps a memorable Saratoga meet for trainer Chad Brown, who topped Todd Pletcher’s meet win record the day before. The Hopeful was win No. 40 for Brown and a meet leading 65 for Jose Ortiz.

In his lone outing prior to the Hopeful, Practical Joke broke his maiden going six lengths at Saratoga by five lengths Aug. 6. Ironically Irad Ortiz Jr. was aboard for the maiden win but was on Classic Empire in the Hopeful.

Practical Joke paid $6.20 to win on a $2 ticket. To see the Equibase chart of the race, click here.