Practical Joke Filly Impressive On Debut

It was another impressive juvenile winner for Practical Joke on Sunday when Chocolate Gelato (2f Practical Joke x Special Treat, by Candy Ride) bolted to an 8 ½ length Saratoga Maiden Special Weight victory.

The filly was first out of the gate in the six-furlong race and kept a length on the field early on before Irad Ortiz Jr. asked her to extend. She was happy to comply and opened up six lengths by the final furlong, continuing on under a hand ride in the final sixteenth with only the second and third place horses within 10 lengths of him.

Chocolate Gelato was a $475,000 purchase by Repole Stable from SGV Thoroughbreds at this year’s Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale. Trained by Todd Pletcher, she was bred by Vincent Colbert out of the winning Candy Ride mare Special Treat.

That mare is a granddaughter of Grade II winner and successful broodmare Daydreaming, who produced Grade I winner Imagining among three stakes performers. Daydreaming herself is out of bluehen mare Get Lucky, whose descendants include Grade I winner Girolamo, Super Saver, Callback, Got Lucky, and Bluegrass Cat.

Practical Joke is the sire of six juvenile winners from his second crop, including a stakes placed runner.