Practical Joke Registers Another Successful Day at Keeneland
Practical Joke started Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale Book 3 just the way he left Book 2 – with successful results.
A strong day of trade for the triple Grade I winner’s first yearlings ended with a bang when Jerry Durant purchased his last offering of the day for $360,000. The sixth highest price of the session, the Hunter Valley Farm consigned colt is out of stakes-placed That Voodoo Youdo.
Bred by Crosshaven Bloodstock, he is a half-brother to Grade III winner Opry and stakes placed Gris Gris. The colt’s family has a long history of producing stakes winners with each of his first seven dams having at least one stakes winner on her produce record.
A familiar face bought his $240,000 colt from the Gainesway consignment early in the day when Mike Ryan signed the ticket on Hip 1276 – the same buyer who purchased Practical Joke from the same consignment he was sold through at this sale five years ago.
That Helen Alexander and Lofts Hall Stud-bred colt is the first foal out of Awesome Again’s Gulfstream Park course record setting daughter Blind Pool, who is a half-sister to stakes horses Der Lu and Smarty Agree. Blind Pool is also a granddaughter of Grade I winner and prolific broodmare Dream Of Summer. Dream Of Summer has produced Grade I winners Vexatious and Creative Cause in addition to Grade II winner and Grade I Belmont Stakes runner-up Destin.
The first session of Book 3 saw 12 of Practical Joke’s yearlings sell for $360,000, $240,000, $145,000, $140,000, ect for an average of $125,583, higher than the session’s overall average of $109,018.
The three-time Grade I winning racehorse has seen his first yearlings at Keeneland bring up to $575,000 this week with an average of $163,524 for 21 sold.
As was the case during the winter sales, Practical Joke has been in high demand this yearling season with the stallion also having a successful Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase sale last week. In all, his 32 yearlings sold this year have averaged $165,593 led by a $575,000 colt and $320,000 filly.