First Foals for Practical Joke

Multiple Grade 1 winner Practical Joke proved popular with breeders last spring covering a top-class book of mares and his first foals on the ground are delighting their breeders.

Charitable Link, a half-sister to Grade 1 Whitney Stakes & Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Diversify, foaled a filly on January 20th at Dr Jerry Bilinski’s Waldorf Farm in New York. “She’s a high-quality first foal out of a half-sister to 2-time Grade 1 winner and New York bred, Diversify. We are absolutely delighted with her and very excited about the sire,” said Dr Bilinski.

B G Golden Eagle (Corinthian) produced a filly last night at Crupper Bloodstock in Paris, Kentucky. “She is very much in the mold of her sire, she’s got a great hip and heart girth and is extremely balanced, just like Practical Joke was when he was born. We couldn’t be happier with her.” commented breeder Keith Crupper.

Practical Joke was bred and raised by Keith & Allen Crupper’s Whispering Oaks Farm, and fittingly this filly was born just a few feet from where Practical Joke was foaled down.

Trained by Chad Brown for Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence, Practical Joke won his first three starts as a juvenile including the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga and the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park. His impressive victory in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes saw him unbeaten in his three starts at Saratoga. The son of Into Mischief also won the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park and was beaten only half a length in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational Stakes.