Practical Joke’s Richi Scores First U.S. Stakes Victory

Practical Joke’s dual Group I winner Richi (5m Practical Joke x Rich Baby, by Scat Daddy) added a U.S. graded stakes victory to her record on Saturday with a win in the Grade III Las Flores at Santa Anita.

Racing over six furlongs in her second U.S. start, Richi raced in third just off Munnings' Pleasant's hip while Don’t Bring Crazy set the pace in front of them. Sticking to the rail, Richi looked like she may run into some trouble in the turn when hemmed in, but found a hole late in that stage to cure that fear.

It was clear that Richi had plenty left once she was in the clear, despite her stablemate sticking to her. Richi held Pleasant off throughout the stretch run to win by an easy 1 ½ lengths with everyone else over eight lengths behind the leader.

Bred in Chile by Haras Pasao Nevado, where she won six starts, including four graded stakes, Richi is trained by Bob Baffert for Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings and Stud Vendaval. She kicked off her U.S. career last June with a second in the Listed Desert Stormer in her only 2024 start.

Richi’s dam is the multiple Group II placed Rich Baby, who is one of four stakes performers for her own dam, led by Group II winner Rich Court.

Practical Joke has been a sensation in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres with 43 worldwide stakes winners and 89 worldwide stakes performers led by 11 Grade I winners with his Grade I winning son Domestic Product joining him at Ashford in 2025.