Practical Joke Colt Much the Best in G3 Grey

Third in his stakes debut last month, He’s Not Joking (2c Practical Joke x Collegeville Girl, by Central Banker) went even better in Sunday’s Grade III Grey Stakes with a win.

The Josie Carroll trainee was positioned at the back of the pack in the 1 1/16-mile synthetic race under Kazushi Kimura as he enjoyed an early rail trip. Switched out a few paths and lightly urged to move closer to the front, he was in a perfect spot for a more serious run with a quarter left to run.

The Practical Joke son took the lead at the top of the stretch and pulled away from there to win by four lengths for his second victory in four starts.

Bred by James Wasserson, He’s Not Joking races for Di Scola Boys Stable with all four of his starts being top three finishes.

The colt is the first foal out of stakes winner Collegeville Girl, whose own dam produced four winners from six to race. Each of his first six dams have produced stakes performers with Grade I-winning fourth dam Glitter Woman also the dam of Grade I winner Political Force.

Collegeville Girl returned to Practical Joke last year and foaled a filly on February 28.