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Ways and Means Secures First G1 Win In Test
It was a first Grade I victory for Klaravich Stables homebred Ways and Means (3f Practical Joke x Strong Incentive, by Warrior’s Reward) on Saturday with a Grade I Test Stakes win at Saratoga.
Racing on a muddy track going seven furlongs, Ways and Means was quick away from the gate and held the early lead as the race favorite. Emery slipped up the rail to grab command from Practical Joke’s daughter, but they stayed close together for much of the middle stages of the race.
Ways and Means took the lead back at the top of the stretch and started to pull away from there. Flavien Prat put the whip away inside the final furlong to let Ways and Means glide home by an easy 2 ½ lengths in the end.
“We always knew she was a true Grade 1 horse and has had some bad luck along the way. She really showed a lot of heart and perseverance to overcome her injury last year and she dealt with a sealed track today, too. We weren’t sure if she was going to like it, but she really showed up for us today,” trainer Chad Brown said.
The Brown trainee has won three of her six starts with runner-up finishes in the Grade I Spinaway Stakes and Grade II Gulfstream Park Oaks as well.
Ways and Means is the third stakes winner for the stakes winning Strong Incentive, who also produced Grade I winner Surge Capacity and Grade III winner and Grade II-placed Highly Motivated.
Each of Ways and Means first four dams produced at least one stakes winner with other stakes winners on the page also including champion Lady Bowthorpe and Grade II winner Tullius and Speak In Colours.
Practical Joke is the sire of seven stakes winners in 2024, putting him 10th among all North American sires.