Scabbard will have his 2020 debut in the Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 18 at Fair Grounds after shipping from the Palm Meadows training center in Florida to New Orleans on Wednesday.

Scabbard, trainer Eddie Kenneally said, is slated for a Fair Grounds workout either Jan. 11 or 12, depending on the weather.

Scabbard ran well below his best form in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, where he finished fourth, beaten 7 ¾ lengths, after appearing to struggle with a tricky racing surface throughout his trip. Scabbard was off the bridle down the backstretch and merely slogged along in the Juvenile after sharp second-place finishes in the Saratoga Special and in the Iroquois, where he was gaining late on the supremely talented Dennis’ Moment.