Fortuitous Florida-Bred Pappacap Impressive in Best Pal at Del
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Monday • August 9, 2021 FEC/FTBOA PUBLICATION www.wiretowire.net FLORIDA’SDAILYRACINGDIGEST FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION or to subscribe, please call Antoinette at 352-732-8858 or email: [email protected] In This Issue: Casse Inducted into National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Shea D Summer Sprints to Win Azalia Knicks Go with Whitney Victory Bella Sofia Surges to Victory in Test State of Rest (Ire) Wins Saratoga Derby Florida-bred Pappacap/BENOIT PHOTO Her World in Debut Win Tyro Against Colts Fortuitous Florida-bred Gulfstream Park Charts Pappacap Impressive Track Results & Entries in Best Pal at Del Mar Florida Stallion Progeny List Florida Breeders’ List BY BROCK SHERIDAN _____________ scratched him out. So we had another plan—a 2-year-old in-training sale. So we Wire to Wire Business Place George and Karen Russell breed to sell sent him to [trainer] Mark [Casse] and we’d their Florida-breds as yearlings. And like go watch him work. Then Mark says ‘he most of their other homebreds, the Russells needs more time. You need to put him in the did not intend to keep their current 2-year- next sale.’ Then the next sale comes along Featured old star Pappacap. But in a story of good in- and Mark says ‘he still needs more time.’ Advertisers tentions gone awry gone to unforeseen And then obviously, we didn’t sell him. fortune, they unintentionally kept the son of Keeping Pappacap, whether by design or Big Lick LLC Gunrunner only to see him win the Grade 2 not, proved prosperous Saturday as the bay Florida Department of Agriculture Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar Saturday. colt won the $200,500 Best Pal by four-and- “We send [our yearlings] to Keeneland three-quarters lengths against five other ju- FTBOA to sell in September,” George Russell said venile foes in the six furlong traditional on TVG from the Del Mar paddock before prep race for the Grade 1 Runhappy Del Ocala Breeders’ Feed & Supply the race. “Then there wasn’t enough [ex- Mar Futurity to be run at the seaside oval Seminole Feed pected value at the time] to run him through on Sept. 6. the [Keeneland September] sale, so we See BEST PAL on page 3 Stonehedge Farm South Wire to Wire August 9, 2021 Back to Top Page 3 Best Pal Continued from COVER Karen Russell, Joe Bravo, Joe Harper and George Russell/BENOIT PHOTO After breaking his maiden while leading from start to finish at Gulfstream against special weight maidens going five furlongs at Gulfstream Park in his career debut on May 14, Pappacap, who is trained by recent Hall of Fame inductee Mark Casse, went to the post in the Best Pal as the 2-1 favorite and did not disappoint. Ridden by Joe Bravo from post three, Pappacap broke evenly but was unable to get the front-running position he took in breaking his maiden as fellow Florida-bred Bet On Mookie sprinted to the lead from post one while being joined by Everett Nevin Stakes- winner Thirsty Always to his outside. Meanwhile a confident Bravo kept Pappacap tucked in just behind the two frontrunners, who clicked off the first two furlongs in a quick :22.11. Bet On Mookie and Thirsty Always continued their battle in tan- dem around the turn as Pappacap saved ground in third before tip- ping out to the three path as they came into the stretch after a half-mile in :45.79. Pappacap took a short lead as the trio passed the eighth-pole to- gether but shook free with a sudden accelleration in the final fur- long before easily winning by four-and-three-quarter lengths in 1:11.66. Finneus made a late run to get second and finish a length- and-a-half in front of Bet On Mookie in third followed by Thirsty Always, Aquitania Arrival and Florida-bred Our Empire, who broke slow at the start. “I was glad to see how well he settled in behind those two up front,” Bravo said. “His race in Florida, he just was pure speed. You don’t know if that’s the way they like to go. But he showed another dimension today. Mark Casse sends them out ready.” “He ran different. He stalked, which was a little concerning. But once he came around the turn there, he started his run and I think this is better,” George Russell said after the race. “Better finish. Better win. He’s maturing and getting better. I think he’s going to do what Mark expects of him.” Casse assistant Allen Hardy-Zukowski gave credit to Bravo for the patient ride that he said showcased the colt’s promise. See BEST PAL on page 5 Wire to Wire August 9, 2021 Back to Top Wire to Wire August 9, 2021 Back to Top Page 5 Casse Inducted into National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame BY BROCK SHERIDAN_______________ “I’ve been very fortunate in my life to win many big races and awards, but none greater More than a year after being elected for in- than this honor. The last few weeks, I spent duction into the National Museum of Racing reflecting on various past in my life. Who and Hall of Fame, trainer and longtime Ocala, would have thought fifty years ago… that I Fla., resident Mark Casse, 60, was recognized would be standing here today. Horse racing Friday at a ceremony at the Fasig-Tipton has always been my life.” Pavilion in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Casse, who Although Casse’s voice cracked from the along with jockey Darrell McHargue, two- beginning, he made it 3 minutes before his time Horse of the Year Wise Dan, horse of emotions forced him to pause when he began yesteryear Tom Bowling and industry icons to thank his mother. After Casse’s wife, Tina, Alice Headley Chandler Jr., J. Keene Danger- took to the podium to read a few lines from field Jr. and George D. Widener Jr., was part the speech, Casse resumed to thank many of of the Hall of Fame class of 2020 and whose his longtime supporters including his late fa- ceremony was postponed until this year be- ther Norman Casse; his son, former assistant cause of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Friday and current trainer Norman Casse; Tina and ceremony also recognized the 2021 class of other family members; the late Harry T. Man- Hall of Fame inductees that included trainer gurian Jr., who employed Casse at a young Todd Pletcher, steeplechase trainer Jack age to manage the renowned Mockingbird Fisher and 2015 Triple Crown winner Amer- Mark Casse/COGLIANESE PHOTO Farm; Charolette Weber; for whom he trained ican Pharoah. Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) winner, champion This is the second thoroughbred racing Hall of Fame for Casse, turf horse and Florida-bred Horse of the Year World Approval; Jack who was honored with induction into the Canadian shrine in 2016. and Debbie Oxley, owners of recent Tampa Bay Derby (G2)-winner Although Casse was honored alongside two Hall of Fame Helium and Arkansas Derby (G1)-winner Classic Empire; Tracy classes filled with renowned figures, his impassioned acceptance Farmer for whom Casse won the Belmont Stakes (G1) with Sir speech was among the highlights of the commemoration event. Winston; longtime friend David Greathouse and Robert Masterson, Casse said as he began his speech that Fox Sports horse racing who respectively bred and owned Queen Anne (Group 1)-winner analyst Jonathon Kinchen had set the over under on him crying at and champion Tepin; Gary Barber, owner of Preakness (G1)-winner a minute and 30 seconds. “I won’t make it past the introduction,” War of Will, his current and former staff members among others. Casse said. “I have a better chance of winning the Kentucky Derby Born in Indianapolis, Ind., Casse has enjoyed a career of con- than getting through this speech without losing my composure. See CASSE on page 7 Best Pal Continued from page 3 “Joe [Bravo] gave him such a great ride on Nov. 5. coming out of the gate,” he said. “[Pappacap] “It’s is on the radar,” Russell said. “He seemed loaded and when Joe asked in the needs to show us he deserves to be there and stretch he responded. I was glad to see that, es- if he does, we’ll be there.” pecially coming off a layoff. It was great.” But Karen Russell said she had more Pappacap earned $120,000 for winning the short term plans for Pappacap to show her Best Pal and increased his bankroll to appreciation. $165,762. “This is most exciting thing we’ve done He paid $6.60 to win. in probably our lifetime,” Karen Russell Pappacap is out of the graded stakes-placed said. “It’s fabulous. It’s very, very important Pappascat, by Scat Daddy, who was second to to us and we are very happy. I can’t wait to Strike Charmer in the 2014 Cardinal Handicap feed him some carrots.” (G3) at Churchill Downs. She has two other Pappacap is the fourth Florida-bred to foals of racing age, both winners including Re- win the Best Pal. The Mark Glatt-trained drock Trail, by Trappe Shot; and Tynan, by Collusion Illusion, who was bred by Donald Liam’s Map. She also has a yearling colt by R. Dizney, won in 2019 and the Suzanne Bolt d’Oro and a weanling colt by Omaha Collins-bred Flame Thrower won in 2000 Beach. She was bred in War of Will in 2021.