Ways And Means Romps in G2 Gallant Bloom

Klaravich Stable’s homebred Grade I winner Ways and Means (3f Practical Joke x Strong Incentive, by Warrior’s Reward) added another stakes victory to her record on Sunday with a win in the Grade II Gallant Bloom Stakes against her elders.

Racing over a sloppy 6 ½ furlongs, the filly broke well and happily took up a spot alongside the leading Nic’s Style. Making sure that rival kept to an honest pace, Ways and Means pushed her all the way to the final furlong. It was at that point that Nic’s Style grudgingly gave in and Ways and Means took a clear lead with the rest of the field never challenging.

In the end, Ways and Means won by four lengths with the third placed runner 2 ¾ lengths behind the runner-up.

Trained by Chad Brown, this was the third straight victory for Ways and Means and was also second in the Grade I Spinaway Stakes and Grade II Gulfstream Park Oaks before registering her first stakes victory in the Grade I Test Stakes.

She is out of another Chad Brown trainee who raced for Klaravich and William Lawrence in the stakes winning Strong Incentive. Strong Incentive also produced the Grade I winning Surge Capacity and Grade III winner Highly Motivated among her four winners from four to race.

Each of Ways and Means’ first four dams have produced stakes winners with the family also including champion Lady Bowthorpe and Grade II winners Speak In Colours and Tullius among others.

This is the second stakes winner in two days at Aqueduct for Practical Joke, who also saw son Mufasa win the Grade III Vosberg on Saturday.