Pappacap being pointed to Lecomte Stakes
Pappacap found favored Corniche too much to handle in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, though he finished a strong second at Del Mar capping a successful 2-year-old season.
Pappacap went from California to Casse Farm in Florida following his Breeders’ Cup runner-up performance, and trainer Mark Casse said Thursday that plans call for Pappacap to begin his 3-year-old campaign in New Orleans in the $200,000 Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 22.
“He’s going to breeze here in the next couple days, and he’ll probably head to Fair Grounds in the next couple weeks,” Casse said. “We’re aiming for the Lecomte – same route as War of Will.”
War of Will, still a maiden, finished fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, won a dirt maiden race at Churchill in the fall, then captured the 2019 Lecomte and Risen Star stakes at Fair Grounds for Casse, who a year later won another Lecomte with Enforceable. Casse’s Fair Grounds string is headed by assistant trainer David Carroll, who trained 2004 Lecomte winner Fire Slam.
Pappacap debuted last May with a maiden win at Gulfstream Park but made his next four starts in California, winning the Best Pal at Del Mar, finishing fourth in the Del Mar Futurity, running second behind Corniche in the American Pharoah at Santa Anita in his two-turn debut, and pulling a sweet rail-skimming stalking trip on the way to his second-place BC Juvenile finish.
“We gave him a little time after the Breeders’ Cup, just let him get some sun. I think he looks great,” Casse said.
Pappacap is part of the young stallion Gun Runner’s tremendous first crop of runners.