LAUREL, MD. 02-14-13---Trainer Bob Baffert has won Maryland’s marquee race, the Preakness Stakes (G1), five times during his Hall of Fame career, but he had never sent a starter to Laurel Park until Brigand won the City Of Laurel Stakes on December 8.

Brigand returns to the central Maryland track Monday as the 9-5 morning line favorite in the $250,000 General George Handicap (G3), which will feature eight battle-tested sprinters going seven furlongs.

Laurel’s SprintFest weekend also includes the $250,000 Barbara Fritchie Handicap (G2) and the $125,000 John B. Campbell Handicap on Saturday afternoon.

It’s hard to find a race among Brigand’s past performances where he hasn’t had the lead for at least part of the race. In his past two starts, the Flatter colt posted a front running win in the City of Laurel Stakes and a gate-to-wire score in the Turn of the Century Stakes against New York-breds at Aqueduct on January 20. His best graded effort was a second place finish in the Jerome (G2) at Aqueduct last spring. Irad Ortiz has the mount.

“He’s doing great,” Baffert said. “He is finally matured and running like his purchase price ($925,000).”

Il Villano (3-1) hit the board in seven of nine stakes last year, winning the Chick Lang at Pimlico Race Course and the Dave’s Friend at Laurel, placing in the Hutcheson (G2) at Gulfstream, the Red Legend at Charles Town and the De Francis Dash at Laurel and finishing third in the Woody Stephens (G2) at Belmont. The son of Pollard’s Vision, who is trained by Susie Crowell at Parx Racing, will carry jockey Kendrick Carmouche for the fourth consecutive start.

“He is doing well. He had a bullet work yesterday (4f in 47.6 seconds),” Crowell said. “He had a tremendous 3-year-old campaign and is a very honest horse. He has been a pleasure to work with. It makes you want to get up every morning to go to work.”

Associate (4-1) ascended from the claiming ranks into a stakes competitor while in the Rick Dutrow barn, finishing third in the Malibu (G1) at Santa Anita Park to end 2011, third in the Bold Ruler (G3) at Belmont Park to end 2012 and off the board in the Hals Hope (G3) at Gulfstream Park to start 2013. Michelle Nevin takes over training for the son of Wando with Erick Rodriguez riding for the first time.

“He really took to the dirt once he got to Rick’s barn,” Nevin said. “He has been training extremely well since the Hal’s Hope and we are happy with him. He already galloped over the track at Laurel and handled it well. I am expecting a big effort.”

Fiddlers Afleet (6-1) battled New York-breds last year before venturing to Laurel in late December to finish fourth in the Dave’s Friend Stakes. Claimed for $75,000 in December by Rudy Rodriguez, the son of Northern Afleet won two restricted stakes last year for his previous connections. Horacio Karamanos will be in the irons.

Cathal Lynch has shipped Javerre (8-1) to Laurel for his last three starts and the son of Outflanker put in on the board efforts in the Maryland Million Sprint, the City of Laurel and the Native Dancer. The New Jersey-bred won four races last year including the New Jersey Breeders Handicap. J.D. Acosta is his rider.

Isn’t He Perfect (10-1) has competed in eight stakes races, including two graded events, since his last victory in May. The son of Pleasantly Perfect ran in the Preakness Stakes (G1) and the Belmont Stakes (G1) two years ago. The Doodnaught Shivmangal trainee is also entered in an overnight stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday.

Thunder Lord (15-1) finished second in the John B. Campbell last year and has nine in the money finishes in 13 career starts. Carlos Marquez has the mount for trainer Jose Corrales.

Richard Small trains Broad Rule (20-1), the upset winner of the Fire Plug Stakes last time out. Forrest Boyce is his regular rider.

BULLET CATCHER HEADLINES FRIDAY CARD

Bullet Catcher, who made local and national headlines last month after escaping from the Laurel Park backside and taking a 1.6 mile journey, will headline Friday’s 8^th race, a $40,000 allowance race. The Jerry Robb trainee dead heated for second in a similar spot on January 31, 20 days after the son of Strong Hope tossed jockey Jeremy Rose while heading back to the barn after a workout and got loose. He made his way out of the stable gate, made a left on Whiskey Bottom Road and another left onto U.S. Route 1 before being caught, un-injured. 

The 4-year-old is the 3-1 second choice on Frank Carulli’s morning line. Six others are entered in the six-furlong sprint including Team Six (2-1), Pass You Bye Bye (7-2), Hard Line (9-2) and Trappist Monk (6-1).

Bullet Catcher is 1-of-8 lifetime with five in the money finishes.

About Laurel Park

Laurel Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida and is one of North America's top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world's largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a major producer of televised horse racing programming through its HRTV cable and satellite network and is North America's premier supplier of virtual online horse racing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.