Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse had high praise for D.J. Stable's juvenile filly Wonder Wheel, who took the listed Debutante at Churchill Downs by an impressive 6 3/4 lengths on July 4 following a debut maiden score a month earlier at the Louisville oval.
“You've only seen the beginning of her,” Casse said of the effort. “I think there's more to her. She seems to be very special.”
A daughter of Into Mischief out of the graded stakes-placed New York-bred Wonder Gal, Wonder Wheel's six rivals were no match for her in the six-furlong Debutante after she set the pace under Tyler Gaffalione and widened her margins at every point of call.
Casse said the impressive performance warrants a step up into top company in the $300,000 Spinaway (G1) on September 3 at the Spa.
“She hasn't shipped up yet, but she'll come up for the Spinaway,” Casse said. “I'm excited about her. I think she has to be one of the best in her class.”
Another “exciting” horse in Casse's barn is the graded stakes winner Pappacap, who has finished second to the undefeated Jack Christopher in his last two outings, most recently finishing 10 lengths behind his accomplished foe in the Woody Stephens (G1) on June 10 at Belmont Park.
Pappacap, who scored a Grade 2 win in the 2021 Best Pal and finished a game second to champion 2-year-old male Corniche in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), will likely make his next appearance in the $200,000 Amsterdam (G2) on July 31 at the Spa whilst Jack Christopher ventures to Monmouth Park for the Grade 1 Haskell.
Casse said he liked what he saw from Pappacap's five-furlong breeze in 1:01.10 over the main track Saturday.
“He breezed this morning and went really well. He hears the name Jack Christopher and he goes in the other direction,” Casse said, with a laugh. “He's exciting to have in the barn and he tries very hard.”
Other graded stakes performers this year for Casse include Frosted Over, who scored in the Dominion Day (G3) on July 1 at Woodbine, and Golden Glider, who finished second in the Peter Pan(G3) in May at Belmont.
Casse said Frosted Over will try for his fifth Woodbine victory in the 10-furlong Niagara on July 31 for his turf debut.
As for Golden Glider, the son of Ghostzapper will look to regroup in the restricted $135,000 Curlin on July 29 at the Spa after a distant eighth-place finish in the Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 10.
“He worked well the other day and has been training very well since the Belmont,” Casse said.
The post Casse’s Impressive Debutante Winner Wonder Wheel Aimed For Spinaway, Pappacap On Point For Amsterdam appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
