Practical Move returned to the work tab Friday following his win in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby April 8.
Pointed to the May 6 Kentucky Derby, Practical Move worked a half mile at Santa Anita Park in company with rising star Kangaroo Court shortly after the 6:30 a.m. renovation break for trainer Tim Yakteen. Both 3-year-olds were officially timed in 47.0 seconds. Yakteen clocked the drill in the same time with a strong gallop-out in “59 seconds and change,” the trainer said.
“They both worked well, very happy,” Yakteen added.
Practical Move is slated to be joined in the Kentucky Derby starting gate by stablemate Reincarnate. Yakteen said Reincarnate, who most recently was third in both the G2 Rebel Stakes and G1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park, is scheduled to work on Saturday.
Both Practical Move and Reincarnate will also have one additional work at Santa Anita next Friday before heading to Churchill Downs the following morning.
Practical Move figures to be among the top betting choices in the 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby. He is riding a three-race winning streak and has never been off the board for owners Leslie A. Amestoy, Jean Pierre Amestoy and Roger K. Beasley. Prior to his gutsy nose win over Mandarin Hero in the Santa Anita Derby, the son of Practical Joke won the G2 San Felipe here March 4 and the G2 Los Alamitos Futurity in December.
Practical Move and Reincarnate aren't the only two horses heading to Churchill Downs next week for Yakteen. Kangaroo Court and the ascending turf star Johannes will also make the trip to run on the Kentucky Derby undercard. Kangaroo Court is ticketed for the G2 Pat Day Mile while Johannes will contest the G2 American Turf at 1 1/16 miles.
“We have our fingers crossed,” Yakteen said.
Johannes has won all three starts since being switched to turf for his maiden win here on Dec. 31. The Nyquist colt followed up graduation day with a win in the March 5 Baffle Stakes here over the hillside turf course and a scintillating 3 ½-length score in the Pasadena Stakes when stretched to a mile. He is a homebred for Cuyathy LLC.
Kangaroo Court will be stepping out of the statebred ranks for the first time in the Pat Day Mile, which is open to all 3-year-olds. The gelding by Dads Caps was a 14 ¼-length maiden winner last August at Del Mar before heading to the sidelines. He returned March 4 to take down a statebred allowance here in a swift 1:08.75 for six furlongs. He then won the Echo Eddie for statebreds going 6 ½ furlongs on April 8.
Kangaroo Court was purchased for a mere $7,500 at the 2021 Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Fall Mixed Sale by owner George Sharp. He has banked $197,200 in four starts.
The post Practical Move Breezes For Yakteen At Santa Anita, Will Work Once More Before Flying To Louisville appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
