Practical Joke Filly Impresses at Saratoga

Ways and Means (2f Practical Joke x Strong Incentive, by Warrior’s Reward) caught the eye in her debut on Sunday when the Klaravich Stables homebred impressed at Saratoga in a Maiden Special Weight.

Making her first appearance going six furlongs, Ways and Means immediately battled for the lead before settling behind the leader. Sent wide around the turn by Flavien Prat, Ways and Means made it clear she was much the best by the time they hit the top of the stretch.

The filly took command soon into that stage of the race before being eased down to a 12 ¾ length victory and earning Thoroughbred Daily Racing Rising Star status.

Trained by Chad Brown, Ways and Means went off as the favorite in the race after putting in multiple quick works over this track in the past two months.

The filly is a three-quarter sister to the Grade III winning Highly Motivated and half-sister to Grade III winner Surge Capacity with the trio out of the stakes winning Strong Incentive. That mare is one of two stakes performers out of her own stakes winning dam.

This is the seventh juvenile winner for Practical Joke this year with two stakes winners among those in the group.