Pierre Jean Amestoy, Jr., Leslie A. Amestoy and Roger K. Beasley’s Practical Move is on his way to the Kentucky Derby after capturing an exciting renewal of the Gr. I Santa Anita Derby on Saturday.

    Saving ground just off the lead, the 3-year-old son of Practical Joke slipped through to take command coming to the quarter pole, then held off a stretch run by Japanese invader Mandarin Hero to win by a nose, with fellow OBS graduate Skinner (April ’22) half a length back in third. That’s three straight graded stakes wins for the 2022 OBS Spring Sale graduate, purchased for $230,000 out of the Eisaman Equine consignment after turning in an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5. Now 7-4-1-2 for trainer Tim Yakteen, he has earned $884,200.  

    James M. and Donna Daniell’s Offlee Naughty, overlooked at 11-1 in Santa Anita’s $200,500, Gr. II Charles Whittingham Stakes, trailed in the early going but closed with a rush in the stretch and was up late to score by a length. It’s the first stakes win for the 5-year-old son of Flashback, trained by Mike McCarthy, now 16-4-1-1 with $310,645 in earnings. He was sold for $4,000 by J V C Training and Sales (Jorge and Maria Villagomez), Agent, at the 2020 OBS June Sale after breezing an eighth in :10 2/5 at the Under Tack Show. 

    Hoffman Thoroughbreds and Tom McCrocklin’s Promiseher America tracked the leaders in the early going of Aqueduct’s $250,000, Gr. III Gazelle Stakes, took the lead approaching the head of the stretch, and turned back the closers to score by half a length. It’s the first stakes victory for the 3-year-old filly by American Pharoah, trained by Raymond Handal, now 4-2-1-0 with $198,138 in earnings. At the 2022 OBS Spring Sale, she was purchased for $75,000 out of the Tom McCrocklin consignment after turning in an Under Tack quarter in :21 2/5.  

    Winning Move Stable’s Joey Freshwater posted his first stakes win on Saturday in Aqueduct’s Gr. III Bay Shore Stakes, sweeping four-wide to the lead coming off the turn and easing away down the stretch to a 1 1/4-length victory. The 3-year-old colt by Jimmy Creed was purchased for $25,000 out of the Harris Training Center consignment at the 2022 OBS June Sale after breezing an eighth in :10 1/5. Trained by Linda Rice, he’s now 6-3-1-1 and has earned $210,950.  

    Little Red Feather Racing’s Elm Drive didn’t mind a bit when Santa Anita’s $201,000 Monrovia Stakes was moved to the main track. The 4-year-old graded stakes-winning daughter of Mohaymen pressed the pace from the rail, took command after turning for home and cruised to victory by a length and three quarters. She’s a two-time OBS graduate, purchased out of the Summerfield consignment at the 2020 October Yearling Sale then consigned to the 2021 March Sale by Paul Sharp, Agent, where she turned in an Under Tack eighth in :9 4/5 and was purchased for $165,000 by John Dowd on behalf of Little Red Feather Racing. Now 9-4-0-1 for trainer Philip D’Amato, she has earned $348,140.

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