In a race that didn't deserve a loser, Practical Joke maintained his perfect record, defeating a dead-game TDN Rising Star Syndergaard in the GI Champagne S. following a furious final-furlong throwdown. The last-out winner of the GI Hopeful S., Practical Joke earned a spot in the field for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 5, but would need to first be supplemented to the tune of $100,000.
A $135,000 Keeneland January and $240,000 Keeneland September graduate, Practical Joke could scarcely have been more impressive as the 12-5 favorite on his Aug. 6 debut at the Spa, rallying wide before taking command a furlong out and bolting in by five good-looking lengths. The 2-1 second favorite behind Saturday's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity hero Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile) in the Hopeful, Practical Joke launched his bid a few paths off the rail and caught Royal Copy (Bodemeister) by a neck. Classic Empire lost jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. after swerving at the break.
Drawn inside against the temporary rail, Practical Joke broke immediately inward towards the gap and by the time Joel Rosario had him straightened out, Syndergaard and the heavily bet fellow Rising Star Big Gray Rocket (Tapit) had opened a big gap on the rest of the field and the opening couple of furlongs were covered in a testing :22:74. Meanwhile, Practical Joke was allowed to improve up the fence and was into a midfield position approaching the turn as the two front-runners continued to exchange blows up front and the half was a suicidal :44.63. The Klaravich/Lawrence runner made steady ground inside on the turn and, as Big Gray Rocket called it a day, had Syndergaard in his sights and appeared ready to blow the race wide open. But despite those taxing splits, Syndergaard was staying on gamely at the rail, fighting for every yard, but was ultimately unlucky to lose a desperate headbob.
“He kind of broke awkward on the inside and I had to use him a little through the chute,” Rosario explained. “He was looking around and it took him a little time to get back in the race but he was fine after that. They were going really fast up front but it looks like the more distance he gets to run into the better he gets. For a second when I got to the other horse [Syndergaard] he waited a little bit. He's still a young horse if anything but looks good going forward.”
Pedigree Notes:
One of two Grade I winners for his well-related stallion, Practical Joke was the fourth most-expensive yearling from 85 to sell in 2015 when offered at the September sale last fall. The stakes-placed Halo Humor did not produce foals in 2015 or 2016 and was covered this year by Shanghai Bobby and Overanalyze.
Saturday, Belmont Park
CHAMPAGNE S.-GI, $500,000, BEL, 10-8, 2yo, 1m, 1:34.68, ft.
1–PRACTICAL JOKE, 122, c, 2, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Halo Humor (SP), by Distorted Humor
2nd Dam: Gilded Halo, by Gilded Time
3rd Dam: Careless Halo, by Sunny's Halo
($135,000 Ylg '15 KEEJAN; $240,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP).
O-Klaravich Stables, Inc. & William H. Lawrence; B-Whispering
Oaks (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Joel Rosario. $300,000. Lifetime
Record: 3-3-0-0, $559,800. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple
Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”gainesway-consigned-by”][bullet ad=”a-gaineswaygeorge-bolton-pinhook”][bullet ad=”nick-de-meric-de-meric-stables-graduate”][bullet ad=”vinery-sales-grad”][bullet ad=”sequelbloodstock-hip144-ftknov2016″][bullet ad=”kbif-g1″]2–Syndergaard, 122, c, 2, Majesticperfection–Magic Belle, by
Gold Case. 'TDN Rising Star' ($92,000 Ylg '15 FTKJUL; $450,000
2yo '16 OBSAPR). O-Eric Fein, Christopher McKenna, Harris
Fein, Guri Singh & Jerry Walia; B-Burleson Farms (NY); T-Todd
A. Pletcher. $100,000.[bullet ad=”stonestreet-trainingalum”][bullet ad=”burleson-farms-bred-raised-sold”][bullet ad=”ricehorse-graduate”][bullet ad=”thorostride-new”][bullet ad=”nytb-1000″]3–Favorable Outcome, 122, c, 2, Flatter–Shananies Song, by
Eltish. 'TDN Rising Star' ($300,000 2yo '16 OBSMAR).
O-Klaravich Stables, Inc. & William H. Lawrence; B-Charles T.
Matses (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $50,000.
Margins: NO, 6HF, HF. Odds: 2.95, 1.90, 2.55.
Also Ran: Big Gray Rocket, Thirst for Victory, Lookin At Blessing.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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