Practical Joke Juvenile Wins Letellier Memorial On Debut
It was a memorable debut for Practical Joke’s Simply Joking (2f Practical Joke x Imply, by E Dubai) on Saturday when the juvenile won the Letellier Memorial Stakes at the Fair Grounds.
Kicking off her career in the six furlong dirt race, the Whit Beckman trainee was the last out of the gate but was a prominent member of the field soon after the break. It was a fast race with Simply Joking sitting just behind the pacesetter down the backstretch before making her move in the turn.
Racing widest of all, the filly came into the stretch five wide before motoring toward the leader to duel with Whata Moon. The determined filly got her nose in front just before the line to win by a neck for a perfect start to her career.
Racing for Grantley Acres, Ryan Conner, and Berkels0813, Simply Joking put everyone on notice she was ready to roll three works ago with a bullet over the track.
The Barlar-bred is out of the multiple stakes winner Imply, whose first runner was the stakes winning Drum Roll Please. The mare has now produced two stakes winners from two to race. Imply is one of four stakes winners out of the stakes placed Allude, who also produced stakes winner and Grade II placed Drop a Hint among the others.
This is also the family of Horse of the Year Holy Bull and Grade I winner Sweet Symphony among others.
Imply foaled a filly by Uncle Mo in 2024.
Practical Joke’s 12 stakes winners ties him for 10th most of any North American stallion alongside American Pharoah with his 29 stakes performers seventh best alongside Uncle Mo.