Lecomte Stakes Handicapping Picks
Horse racing gamblers are you looking for 2022 Lecomte Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping Odds…plus some predictions? Need some advice on who to take? The 2022 Lecomte Stakes is set for January 22 at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Here’s a preview of our top contenders.
Lecomte Stakes Preview
- Race: Lecomte Stakes
- Purse: $200,000
- Track: Fair Grounds Race Course
- Date: January 22
- Post Time: 7:20 PM (ET)
- Live: Lecomte Stakes Odds: Click Here
2022 Lecomte Stakes Handicapping
A pair of strong early contenders for the 2022 Kentucky Derby will go head-to-head on Saturday at Fair Grounds in the (G3) Lecomte Stakes. The race is a Derby qualifier and will award points to the top four finishers in a 10-4-2-1 scale.
The Lecomte is the first of three Derby qualifiers set for Fair Grounds and will be followed by the (G2) Risen Star Stakes on February 19, and the (G1) Louisiana Derby on March 26.
The Lecomte is run at 1 1/16 miles on the Fair Grounds dirt track.
Odds listed here are provided by the Fair Grounds track handicapper.
2022 Lecomte Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Pappacap Race Odds: 8-5
Currently sitting on top of the Derby qualifying leader board with 12 points, Florida-bred Pappacap makes his first appearance on the track since running second in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in early November.
In fact he’s coming off a pair of runner-up finishes, as he was also second in the (G1) American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita in October. In both races he finished behind the highly regarded Corniche, who was undefeated in three races last year.
Trainer Mark Casse won the race back-to-back in 2019-’20. Veteran jockey Joe Bravo gets the call to ride.
2022 Lecomte Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Epicenter Race Odds: 9-5
Also on the Derby leaderboard with 10 points, Epicenter has a recent win on the track and at the distance after taking the Gun Runner Stakes in late December.
There he was a winner by 8 1/2 lengths after scoring his maiden win by more than three going one mile at Churchill Downs.
Steve Asmussen picked up his third Lecomte win last year. Joel Rosario will be in the irons.
2022 Lecomte Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Cyberknife Race Odds: 6-1
The speedy Cyberknife recorded an eye-catching 101 Equibase speed figure in his very first race and crossed the finish line first but was DQd to second for interference at the top of the stretch.
He was second again in his next start, but got his maiden win last out racing 1 1/16 miles on the Fair Grounds dirt.
Trainer Brad Cox and jockey Florent Geroux both go for their first Lecomte win.
2022 Lecomte Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Surfer Dude Race Odds: 15-1
The hard-knocking Surfer Dude only has one win in his six lifetime starts, but has been in the money in five of those races with three third-place finishes.
He has been beaten twice already by Epicenter, and although he can be competitive at this level, he’s going to need to find more overall speed if he wants to get into the winner’s circle.
He’s trained by Dallas Stewart, Reylu Gutierrez is tapped to ride.
Here’s My 2022 Lecomte Stakes Free Pick.
I was very impressed with both of Epicenter’s last two races, and in fact I would have to put him right near the top of my list of favourites for the Derby at this point in the season. So I’ll pick him for the win here.
There’s no doubt Pappacap has talent, but he is coming off a layoff of almost three months and so might not be in top racing form. This will also be his first lifetime start outside of southern California.
That said, he has been training very well at Fair Grounds in recent weeks.
Full Field: Lecomte Stakes Odds
(By post position)
- #1 – Surfer Dude 15-1
- #2 – Unified Report 15-1
- #3 – Pappacap 8-5
- #4 – Trafalger 5-1
- #5 – Epicenter 9-5
- #6 – Cyberknife 6-1
- #7 – Blue Kentucky 20-1
- #8 – Call Me Midnight 20-1
- #9 – Presidential 20-1
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