Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile: Practical Move collapses, dies during morning gallop

ARCADIA, Calif. - Practical Move, the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby winner and a contender for Saturday’s $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, suffered “a sudden death” while galloping on the track Tuesday morning, trainer Tim Yakteen confirmed.

Practical Move was galloping into the stretch over the Santa Anita oval and and bolted to the outside rail when he fell, nearing the eighth pole.

“The Breeders’ Cup is saddened to report the loss of Practical Move after what is suspected to be a cardiac event while returning from his gallop [Tuesday] morning at Santa Anita Park,” read a statement put out by Breeders’ Cup. “His rider was uninjured and the horse was immediately tended to by veterinarians from the California Horse Racing Board, 1/ST Racing and Breeders’ Cup.”

Yakteen called Practical Move “a career-changing horse, we’re devastated. I’m devastated for the connections.”

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Practical Move is a son of Practical Joke owned by husband-wife Pierre and Leslie Amestoy. He was purchased for $230,000 out of the OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale in 2022.

Practical Move rose to the top of Southern California’s 3-year-old division in the spring with victories in the Grade 2 San Felipe and Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. He was entered in the Kentucky Derby but scratched due to illness.

Practical Move came off a layoff to win an allowance race here on Oct. 6, which convinced his connections to enter him in the $1 million Dirt Mile.

Practical Move drew post 2 and was made the 3-1 second choice in the Dirt Mile on the morning line of Jon White.

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