Munnings posting big sales numbers

Munnings is quietly crafting a stellar season, both on the racetrack and in the commercial arena. The sire of nine stakes winners in 2021 – including Grade 1 winner Kimari – he is posting a career-best average during this 2-year-old sales season.

Munnings, a son of Speightstown standing at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky, is averaging $213,800 from 15 juveniles sold in 2021, with two sales remaining in the marketplace in June. That is up from $91,704 last year, and also up from his previous high-water mark of $94,500 in the 2017 season.

:: DRF BREEDING LIVE: Real-time coverage of breeding and sales

“It took a while, but safe to say he’s finally arrived commercially,” said Nathan McCauley, a breeder who is a partner in River Oak Farm.

McCauley bred Munnings’s most expensive juvenile of the year, a $550,000 filly purchased at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March sale of 2-year-olds in training by bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, who buys horses for trainer Bob Baffert’s clients. Munnings’s other top lots this season are a $460,000 colt purchased by bloodstock agent Kerri Radcliffe out of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale on behalf of Lady Sheila Stable, and a $450,000 OBS March filly, purchased by Breeze Easy LLC.

“Looking forward to Saratoga in the summer with this one,” Radcliffe tweeted of her purchase, adding that the colt would go to trainer Steve Asmussen.

Kimari won the Grade 1 Madison Stakes last month at Keeneland to give her sire his third Grade 1 winner. The others are I’m a Chatterbox and El Deal. Kimari kicked off a strong two months for Munnings, as later in that Keeneland meeting Bonny South won the Grade 3 Doubledogdare; Jaxon Traveler won the Bachelor Stakes at Oaklawn before going on to finish second in the Grade 3 Chick Lang on the Preakness undercard; and Alda won the Hilltop Stakes at Pimlico.

Munnings, who ranked seventh on the national general sires earnings list through May 23, is also the sire of Boldor, Chief Chicatriz, Constantia, Perfect Munnings, and Pete’s Play Call.

Practical Joke’s first winner

Practical Joke recorded his first winner when Catchusifyoucan won on debut Friday evening at Lone Star Park.

The 2-year-old filly Catchusifyoucan, who was the second starter for her sire, races as a Tom Durant homebred. Durant also bred and races Practical Joke’s first starter, Tejano Twist, who was second on debut at Keeneland and was fourth in a May 14 maiden at Churchill Downs. Both juveniles are trained by Bret Calhoun.

Practical Joke showcased his own juvenile ability by winning the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes and Grade 1 Champagne Stakes, and then added the Grade 1 King’s Bishop the following season. The resident of Coolmore’s Ashford Stud is by two-time reigning leading sire Into Mischief, who made a strong start as a sire-of-sires with young leading stallion Goldencents.