LAUREL, MD. 02-08-13---Nominations for the three races which highlight the President’s day holiday weekend at Laurel Park were released by the Maryland Jockey Club’s racing office this morning.

Winter SprintFest features two graded, seven furlong contests - the $250,000 Barbara Fritchie Handicap (G2) for fillies and mares on Saturday, February 16 and the $250,000 General George Handicap (G3) for 3-year-olds and up on Monday, February 18.

The Saturday card also includes the $125,000 John B. Campbell Handicap at nine furlongs.

The Barbara Fritchie attracted twenty-five nominees headlined by graded winner Nicole H, who finished second in last year’s race. Maryland Jockey Club stakes coordinator Coley Blind expects Bold Affair, Dance To Bristol and Withgreatpleasure, all stakes winners at Laurel Park, to enter.

Twenty-eight runners are named to the General George, including three runners who recently won stakes races at Laurel: Brigand, Broad Rule and Il Villano. Blind indicated the connections of Associate, Fiddlers Afleet and Javerre are considering a start.

The Campbell drew twenty-six nominees, including 2011 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Ruler On Ice and five others who competed in a Triple Crown race: Concealed Identity (2011 Preakness Stakes), Done Talking (2012 Kentucky Derby), Isn’t He Perfect (2011 Preakness & Belmont), Norman Asbjornson (2011 Preakness) and Pants On Fire (2012 Derby).

The Maryland Jockey Club will also honor jockey Abel Castellano next Saturday afternoon for being the leading rider in the state a year ago.

The Saturday festivities will include a social media event called “Digital Reins”, beginning at 11:30 a.m. The promotion will include a complimentary continental breakfast, fee pilsner glass and $2 drafts. To enter, fans are asked to Like Laurel Park on Facebook.

Saturday will also feature over $2,500 in prize giveaways and a complimentary fleece scarf to the first 2,500 paid fans. Those who wear the scarf to Laurel on Monday afternoon will receive free admission.

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.