Mufasa New Stakes Winner for Practical Joke

It was a new stakes winner for Practical Joke on Thursday when Mufasa (3c Practical Joke x Miscanti, by Scat Daddy) won the Prix Luis Vera Calderon and Luis Vera Giannini.

The colt rushed to the lead straight out of the gate to take command in the 1 1/8 mile dirt race. He had to deal with pressure throughout the run but refused to wilt and give in. In the stretch, he started to pull away and while another cut into his lead near the end he still won by a length with 4 ¼ lengths back to the rest of the field.

Mufasa is trained by Ximeno Urenda for Los Leones. Bred by Haras Paso Nevado, the colt took his record to three-from-three with the stakes win.

Mufasa is out of the five-time winner Miscanti, a half-sister to Group II-placed Maya Man. The family also includes Group I winners My Halo, Mi Surena, Smart Wells, and Expressive Smart with Peruvian champion Toruk also on the page.

It has been another big year for Practical Joke, whose 74 North Hemisphere foaled winners leads all second crop sires. He also sits second by 2022 stakes performers at 13 with his stakes winners led by Grade I winner and Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies contender Chocolate Gelato.