Tom Durant | Horse Racing Free Tips

Tejano Twist Takes Inaugural Running Of Lively Shively At Churchill Downs

Tom Durant's homebred Tejano Twist tracked a quick early pace and surged down the stretch to win Saturday's inaugural running of the $200,000 Lively Shively for 2-year-olds at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., by a half-length over Barber Road.

Trained by Bret Calhoun and ridden by Joe Rocco Jr., Tejano Twist covered the 6 ½ furlongs on a fast track in 1:16.82.

A 2-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Practical Joke out of the Cuvee mare Haley's Lollypop, Tejano Twist improved his record to 3-3-0 in eight starts and added $122,070 to his bankroll and increased his earnings to $260,670. Previously, he won a first-level allowance/optional claiming event at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., on Oct. 22 by 7 ¼ lengths.

Tejano Twist returned $4.40, $3.00, and $2.60 as the 6-5 favorite in the field of six juvenile sprinters. Barber Road, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, returned $6.20 and $3.80 with Cool Papa G finishing third under Joel Rosario and paying $3 to show.

Chattalot, who led the way through early fractions of :22.96 and :46.01, faded to fourth and was followed by Hoist the Gold and Ignitis. Charter Oak and Ready to March were scratched.

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First Winner for Practical Joke at Lone Star

Freshman sire Practical Joke got off the mark with his first winner Saturday at Lone Star Park. Under a ride and outsprinted in fifth through an opening quarter in :22.59, Tom Durant homebred Catchusifyoucan (Practical Joke), off at odds of 5-1, rode the rail into the stretch and snuck up the fence in the late stages to secure a half-length decision over Free Like a Girl (El Deal). The winner's stakes-winning dam Legal Mind (Bellamy Road) is also represented by a Sky Kingdom colt of 2020. She was bred to Exaggerator for 2021. Led by a $575,000 colt at Keeneland September, 74 out of 92 yearlings switched hands from the first crop of Practical Joke for an average of $120,243 last year. He stands the 2021 season for a $22,500 fee at Ashford Stud.

5th-Lone Star, $34,000, Msw, 5-22, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f, :53.06, ft, 1/2 length.
CATCHUSIFYOUCAN (f, 2, Practical Joke–Legal Mind {SW}, by Bellamy Road) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $20,340. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O/B-Tom R. Durant (KY); T-W. Bret Calhoun.

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Sunday Insights: Practical Joke’s First Runner Looks Live

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

4th-KEE, $60K, Msw, 2yo, 4 1/2f, post time: 2:45 p.m. ET
Tom Durant's TEJANO TWIST becomes the first starter for the much-hyped freshman sire Practical Joke for the potent 2-year-old barn of Bret Calhoun. A son of the Grade III-placed Haley's Lolipop (Cuvee), the homebred is a half-brother to Game Day Play (Violence), a second-out maiden winner last August and two starts later victorious in the Clevor Trevor S. at Remington Park. Second dam Two Foxie (Fair Skies) produced the fleet GSW & GISP Maddalena (Good and Tough), whose eight winners from nine to the races include Grade II-winning juvenile Bern Identity (Bernstein) and five other black-type performers. First-crop runners for Practical Joke have sold for up to $800,000 this year and a filly out of Purr and Prowl (Purim) topped this week's Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up on a bid of 360,000gns from Peter Brant. TJCIS PPs

Well-Bred Curlin Filly Gets Going…
2nd-SA, $61K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 6 1/2f, post time: 4:38 p.m. ET
CURVETTE (Curlin) is the latest foal from the talented Fiftyshadesofhay (Pulpit), winner of the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. and GIII Iowa Oaks in 2013 while placing in the GI Las Virgenes S., GI Santa Anita Oaks and GI Alabama S. that season. She went on to capture the GII Ruffian S. the following season and was purchased by Stonestreet Farm for $1.3 million at Keeneland November that fall. The daughter of GISP Quiet Kim (Real Quiet) is already the dam of two winners from as many to the races. TJCIS PPs

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Silver Dust Finds Sloppy Going To His Liking In Ben Ali

Tom Durant's veteran Tapit gelding, Silver Dust, emerged from a five-horse blanket finish to win Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Ben Ali Stakes over a sloppy main track at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky. Adam Beschizza was aboard the winner for trainer Bret Calhoun.

Night Ops, the 4-5 favorite, was second, beaten a half-length, with Beau Luminarie third, Sprawl fourth and Treasure Trove rounding out the field of five older runners. A total of three-quarters of a length separated the entire field at the wire.

Silver Dust covered 1 1/8 miles on the sloppy surface in 1:50.21 after fractions of :23.79, :47.63, 1:12.32 and 1:37.28. The third choice in the wagering at 9-2, Silver Dust paid $11.20 to win.

Sprawl jumped out to the early advantage, with Silver Dust just to his outside throughout the running of the Ben Ali. Beau Luminarie and Night Ops were in the second flight with Treasure Trove trailing the field.

Silver Dust poked his head in front rounding the final turn, but Sprawl continued to fight back along the inside. Those two were joined in deep stretch, by Beau Luminarie to Silver Dust's outside and Night Ops and Treasure Trove further to the outside.

The win was the fourth G3 victory for Silver Dust and his seventh win overall from 33 starts. The winner's share moved his career earnings to $975,677.

Silver Dust was bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corporation. He was produced from the Hard Spun mare, Filare L'Oro.

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