Blinkers Likely for Practical Joke in Kentucky Derby

After trainer Chad Brown watched how Practical Joke breezed wearing blinkers April 28 at Churchill Downs, the Eclipse Award-winning trainer is leaning toward equipping the two-time grade 1 winner in a small cup pair for the May 6 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).

With rider Joel Rosario aboard for the breeze, Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence's Practical Joke cruised through five furlongs in 1:01 3/5.

"He worked really well," Brown said. "Joel thought he worked well with the blinkers; he wasn't too aggressive but he was a little more focused through the lane. He got away from his workmate during the gallop out, which is what we wanted to see."

Working outside of stakes-placed Bobby On Fleek, Practical Joke revved up through an opening furlong in :13 2/5 and a quarter-mile in :25 2/5 before shifting to another gear for three furlongs in :37 2/5 and a half-mile in :49 3/5. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:14 3/5. Bobby On Fleek also was credited with five furlongs in 1:01 3/5.

Winner of last year's Hopeful and Champagne stakes (both G1) in New York, Practical Joke enters the Derby off a runner-up finish in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) where the son of Into Mischief   finished second, three-quarters of a length behind upset winner Irap.

After the two grade 1 wins last year, Practical Joke raced well enough to earn placings in his past three starts, but has not reached the winner's circle in those efforts. He closed 2016 with a third in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) then opened this season with a runner-up finish to Gunnevera in the Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) in March, ahead of his Blue Grass effort.

In his three most recent races, which are Practical Joke's first three starts at two turns, his first-call positions have been seventh in the Juvenile, sixth in the Fountain of Youth, and fourth in the Blue Grass. 

Practical Joke has not previously raced in blinkers, so Brown watched Friday's move closely to see how he would react.

"We explored with a small cup blinker on him. He worked well with them," Brown said. "I'm leaning toward running him with them."

Friday's move wrapped up the serious pre-Derby work for Practical Joke, who also breezed four furlongs in :49 4/5 April 21 at Keeneland in his only other work since the April 8 Blue Grass.