Practical Joke Looks to Continue Success At Keeneland September
A fantastic Fasig-Tipton yearling sale could turn into an even better Keeneland September Yearling Sale for Practical Joke when he sends 71 yearlings through the Keeneland ring.
The three-time Grade I winner has one offering in Book 1 after outs with Hip 61 from St George Sales kicking off proceedings.
That colt is out of Giant’s Causeway’s Bama Belle, a half-sister to Grade I winner Funny Moon, stakes winner Throng and stakes placed Home Crowd. Bred by Carhue Investments, Chelsea Bloodstock and Paget Bloodstock, the colt from champion Temperence Hill’s family visited this ring in January when bringing $210,000 from Brookstone.
To kick off Practical Joke’s 13 yearlings in Book 2 on Wednesday and Thursday, Taylor Made Sales sends out Hip 455.
That Teneri Farm-bred filly is out of Peru’s champion older mare Valiant Emilia. Already the dam of a winner, Valiant Emilia is also a half-sister to Group II-placed I Am Spyng and a granddaughter of Group III winner and Group I-placed Saint Emilia from a strong stakes producing family.
The first foal out of stakes winner Do The Dance consigned by Eaton Sales is up later that day as Hip 567 with each of the filly’s first four dams either winning a stakes or producing a stakes winner. Bred by Lester Kwok and Dr. Naoya Yoshida, the colt’s dam is also a half-sister to Japanese stakes winner Randonnee.
Munnings’ multiple stakes winner Barkley saw his dam visit Practical Joke in 2018 with the resulting colt consigned as Hip 725 by Rosilyn Polan. The colt’s dam Numero d’Oro has produced three winners from four to race with his first two dams taking up his catalogue page.
The last Practical Joke through the ring during the third session at Keeneland is Hip 801, consigned by breeder Nursery Place. He is of Stone Hope and is a half-brother to $850,000 weanling and Group II winning, Group I-placed Spirit of Valor and stakes winning Street Life from his dam’s six winners.
Other Practical Joke offerings to watch in Book 2 include Greenfield Farm’s Hip 767, a half-sister to two stakes horses; Hip 878 from Mulholland Springs out of Grade III winner and Grade I-placed Be Fair; Ballysax Bloodstock’s Hip 971, a half-sister to stakes winner Sister Nation out of a full sister to Grade I winner Evita Argentina; and Dromoland Farm’s Hip 1060 from the family of Grade I winner Got Stormy, who won at Kentucky Downs on Saturday.
Showing the depth of quality Practical Joke’s first book of mares included, the 28 Practical Joke yearlings in Book 3 have pages any owner would be happy to have in their stable.
The first session of the Book starts with Narola-bred Hip 1258. The filly from the Taylor Made consignment is the second foal out of As Rulers Go. That mare is a half-sister to the dual-Grade I winner Switch and stakes winner Keystone Gulch. As Rulers Go’s half-sisters have produced stakes winners in the United States, Ireland, and Australia.
Late in Book 3 the family also has a Practical Joke colt go through the ring as Hip 2002. From Paramount Sales, he is out of As Rulers Go’s half-sister Tessie Flip, who is also the dam of stakes winner Jo Jo Air.
C. Kidder, N. Cole & Brian Graves-bred Hip 1371’s family has already shown that she should have talent on the track and in the breeding shed. Consigned by Gainesway, she is a half-sister to Grade III-placed Tapit For Luck with their half-sister Song to the Moon producing Grade II winner Jeltrin among three stakes horses.
Hip 1711 out of a full sister to Grade I winner Danza and half-sister to Grade I winner Majestic Harbor is a half-sibling to two winners from three to race. The chestnut colt consigned by Brandywine Farm is also from the family of Grade III winners Totally Boss and Super Steed – both out of his dam’s half-sister.
Hip 1811 is out of a stakes placed half-sister to stakes winner and Grade I-placed Mother Mother and Grade I Kentucky Derby second Commanding Curve. Consigned by breeder Woodford Thoroughbreds, the colt’s extended family also includes Proper Reality.
Others in Book 3 include Hip 1331 out of a stakes placed half-sister to Grade III winner Devious Intent; Hip 1434 from Eaton Sales, a half-brother to stakes winner and Grade II-placed Battle Force; Taylor Made’s Hip 1488 from the family of champion Good Magic; Hip 1604, a half-brother to two stakes horses from the Hunter Valley Farm consignment; and Hip 1892 out of a half-sister to Grade I winner and producer Zoftig from Four Star Sales.
Represented in every book in the sale, Practical Joke has 21 yearlings in Book 4 starting with Hip 2055 from the Machmer Hall Sales consignment. That filly is a half-sister to one winner from one to race out of a daughter of multiple stakes winner Amazing Buy.
Hunter Valley’s Hip 2120 is out of a Curlin half-sister to Champion 2-Year-Old Action This Day and the dam of Champion Sprinter Drefong. An active family, consistent stakes runner Bankit is under the China Horse Club International-bred filly’s third dam.
Dual champion Roy H sees his half-sister Hollywood Queen represented at Keeneland September with Hip 2627 by Practical Joke. A winning mare by Giant’s Causeway, Hollywood Queen is out of multiple graded stakes winner Elusive Diva and has already proven to be a producer of precocious racehorses with her daughter La Dama winning in her second start at two.
The offerings by Practical Joke in this book also include a granddaughter of Grade I winner River’s Prayer as Hip 2088 from Baccari Bloodstock; Hip 2238 from Eaton Sales out of a half-sister to Grade I winner Stormy Lucy; Taylor Made’s Hip 2623, out of a Fusaichi Pegasus half-sister to Grade II winner and multiple Grade I placed Lil’s Lad; and Hip 2705 out of stakes winner My Redbyrd, a sibling to three other stakes horses including Group I winner Ocean Ridge.
There are limited opportunities to purchase a Practical Joke yearling in Books 5 and 6 with only nine yearlings between the two books.
The fun kicks off with Hip 2900 in Book 5 from Gainesway. The chestnut filly is the second foal from Cashconsiderations, a half-sister to Grade I winner Sean Avery and two stakes placed, stakes producing mares. One of those produced by Cashconsiderations’ half-sisters is Grade II winner and Grade I-placed Pretty N Cool with the other half-sister producing Grade III-placed Grumps Little Tots.
A half-sister to two stakes horses from Eaton Sales also goes through the ring during the first session of Book 5. Out of I Love America, Hip 2987 is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner American Sugar with her dam the half-sister to the dam of Grade I winner Sassy Image.
Second to last for her sire in Book 5 is Four Star Sales’ Hip 3561 out of Tiz A Chick. A three-quarter sister to the mare’s only runner and winner, Shake Some Action, the filly also hails from the family of Grade I winner Come Dancing. That mare is out of Tiz A Chick’s full sister with their dam a half-sister to the dam of champion Folklore.
Practical Joke only has two offerings in Book 6, starting with Hip 3602 from Castle Park Farm. The colt is out of a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Calibrachoa from the family of Grade I winner Bellamy Road.
The stallion’s final offering of the sale is Hip 3750 from Machmer Hall Sales. That filly is out of a half-sister to two stakes winner and is a great granddaughter of multiple graded stakes winner and producer Nannerl.
Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale starts at noon on Sunday and Monday before switching to 10 a.m. on Wednesday after Tuesday’s dark day.