Pappacap targets Del Mar Futurity next

DEL MAR, Calif. - From the early days of his career in Florida, way back in the spring, Pappacap displayed flashy works prior to a smart debut win for trainer Mark Casse and owners and breeders George and Karen Russell.

That foundation led to Pappacap’s victorious stakes debut in Saturday’s Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar, which Casse hopes will lead to greater success in Southern California over the next three months.

“We mapped the plan before we sent him out there,” Casse said Sunday morning. “Part one is done. Now there are more parts.”

The next race on Pappacap’s schedule is the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs on Sept. 6, the closing day of the summer meeting. If the colt continues to progress, races such as the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Oct. 1, and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar on Nov. 5, would be on the schedule.

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Pappacap handled the transition from a win in a maiden special weight race at five furlongs at Gulfstream Park on May 14 to the Best Pal with ease. By Gun Runner, Pappacap won the maiden race by 2 3/4 lengths in 58.40 seconds.

“He’s a Florida-bred, so we ran him in Florida and we thought if he ran good we could move him,” Casse said. “I was shocked in his first race when he ran the fast time.”

In the $200,500 Best Pal Stakes, Pappacap stalked the pace to early stretch before pulling clear to win the six-furlong race by 4 3/4 lengths under jockey Joe Bravo. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 70.

The juvenile division can change rapidly as the summer progresses. Of the last 10 winners of the Best Pal Stakes from 2011-2020, eight have started in the Del Mar Futurity and two have won – Nyquist in 2015 and Klimt in 2016. Four others have been second or third.

Nyquist was the champion 2-year-old male of 2015.

Casse, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Friday, was quick to indicate Pappacap’s promise to the Russells.

“I kept saying to them, ‘I think this is a good horse,’ ” he said.

Casse shared his point of view with Steve Asmussen, who trained Gun Runner.

“I told Steve Asmussen, ‘I’ve got a Gun Runner that can really run,’ ” Casse said.

Casse said he received a congratulatory text from Asmussen on Saturday evening.

Last year, Weston won the Best Pal Stakes and was third to Dr. Schivel in the Del Mar Futurity. Dr. Schivel, who won the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes for sprinters on July 24, won a maiden special weight on the same day as the 2020 Best Pal Stakes.

Earlier on Saturday’s program, Montebello, a colt by Curlin, edged Flying Drummer, a colt by Gun Runner, in a maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds at six furlongs. Both are trained by Bob Baffert and could start in the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity.

Montebello, ridden by Abel Cedillo, set the pace, led by two lengths with a furlong remaining, and was fully extended, finishing in 1:11.53. He earned a 73 Beyer.

“He’s a fighter,” Cedillo said. “He has a lot of talent. As soon as he felt that other horse, he started fighting.”

Baffert, who has won the Del Mar Futurity a record 14 times, won with two other promising juvenile colts earlier at the current meeting – Murray, a Street Sense colt who won a maiden special weight race at 5 1/2 furlongs on July 25, and Pinehurst, a Twirling Candy colt who a won maiden special weight race at five furlongs on Aug. 1 in his debut.

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The 2-year-old filly division in California is led by Elm Drive, the undefeated winner of the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at six furlongs on Friday.

Elm Drive has started twice, winning her debut in a maiden special weight at five furlongs by eight lengths at Los Alamitos on June 26. In the $201,500 Sorrento, Elm Drive stalked the early pace before taking the lead on the turn. Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Elm Drive finished a head in front of Eda, who was 13 1/4 lengths in front of Smash Ticket, the 6-5 favorite who had a troubled trip.

The rapid development of Elm Drive was not a surprise to trainer Phil D’Amato.

“She came out of the race very good,” D’Amato said. “You’ll see that move a lot with 2-year-olds at this time of year.”

Elm Drive, who races for the Little Red Feather Racing partnership, was purchased for $165,000 at a 2-year-olds in-training sale earlier this year. Elm Drive will be pointed to the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante at seven furlongs on Sept. 5.

“She has the class and desire to be one of the best 2-year-old fillies on the West Coast,” D’Amato said. “I’ve got to say that, as Baffert sends out more waves of 2-year-olds.”

Of the last 10 winners of the Sorrento, eight have started in the Debutante, with three winners and four second- or third-place finishers.

Aside from Eda, Baffert has a promising filly in Grace Adler, the winner of a maiden special weight race at five furlongs on July 31. Dance to the Music, the winner of a maiden special weight race at 5 1/2 furlongs by 4 3/4 lengths for trainer Mark Glatt on July 24, is a bona fide candidate for the Debutante.

The California-bred filly At the Spa is another expected starter in the $300,000 Debutante following her win in the California Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 5, trainer Jorge Periban said.

Trainer Todd Fincher said Sunday that Smash Ticket will have a brief rest.

“We’re considering backing off of her a little bit and letting her catch her breath,” Fincher said. “It’s probably smarter to wait a little bit.”