Graphic Detail Catches Eye in Belmont Debut

OXO Equine’s $320,000 short yearling purchase Graphic Detail (2c Practical Joke x Bayou Miss, by Dixie Union) was ready to roll in his debut on Saturday with a win at Belmont Park.

Graphic Detail was among the back markers of the main pack in the six furlong race as he spent the early part of the race getting into the groove of things under Eric Cancel. In the turn, he had over five lengths to make up but he was up for the task.

Showing off big strides, Graphic Detail made up the ground in the stretch when piloted to the center of the track to put himself in contention in the final furlong. He headed Triple Elvis with only a few strides to go before building a slight margin in the end.

Trained by Bill Mott, Graphic Detail was bred by Vossfield Bloodstock Group out of the Dixie Union mare Bayou Miss and consigned by Brookdale Sales when purchased as a short yearling as the second most expensive yearling by a freshman at the 2020 Keeneland January Sale.

"He is just a super nice individual. We looked at him in the barn several times and he had a lot of class and carried himself very well. Larry Best has had a lot of success with Into Mischief and he likes Practical Joke a lot too," Katie Taylor, who signed the ticket on behalf of Best, said when she purchased him.

A big supporter of Practical Joke at the sales, Best owns multiple winners from Practical Joke's first crop.

Bayou Miss is now the dam of four winners from five to race and is a daughter of stakes winner Jaramar Rain. That Thunder Gulch mare produced three stakes performers in addition to the two-time winning Bayou Miss, led by multiple Grade II-placed Imperial Council. Jaramar Rain is one of two stakes winners for her own dam Jaramar Miss.

Bayou Miss has a weanling full brother to Graphic Detail consigned as Hip 1576 with Brookdale at this year’s Keeneland November Sale and went to Grade I winning Ashford freshman Echo Town this year.