Maiden winner Sycamore Run going straight to Grade 3 Lecomte

Sycamore Run’s debut maiden sprint win Dec. 21 impressed his connections sufficiently that they’ll try him Jan. 18 in the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes.

Sycamore Run went straight to the front racing over a sloppy track last month at Fair Grounds and never wavered, running out to a 3 1/2-length victory that produced an 85 Beyer Speed Figure, one of the better 2-year-old numbers at Fair Grounds last year. The racing surface on that card helped pace horses, but trainer Joe Sharp said he believes Sycamore Run, a son of Street Sense and a Stormy Atlantic mare named Dattt Echo, has the physical and mental tools to simultaneously stretch out in distance and jump up to stakes competition.

“He really came out of his race in good order, and mentally he’s light years ahead of a lot of horses that have run two or three times,” Sharp said. “He just seems to get it. He came out of his race focused, not nervous, and more professional than he went into it. If there was one to try it off the maiden win, it’s him.”

Sharp made a similar move last year with Malpais, who went from a second-start maiden sprint win into the Lecomte, set the early pace, and finished 11th. Sycamore Run, however, might have more inherent route capacity than did Malpais, who quickly was turned back to sprints following the Lecomte.

The Lecomte distance has been increased from one mile 70 yards to 1 1/16 miles this year.

Sycamore Run is one of at least three horses that raced Dec. 21 likely to show up in the Lecomte, for which entries will be taken Jan. 11. Also expected to run are the one-two finishers from a two-turn allowance race that day, Lynn’s Map and Mr. Monomoy, both of whom worked over the weekend. Mark Casse, who trains Lynn’s Map, also has Enforceable pointed toward the Lecomte.