Florida, California Invaders Targeting $250,000 Stakes

            LAUREL, MD. 02/13/15 --- Horses from the warm climates of Florida and California are among the leading contenders with sights set on Monday’s 37^th running of the $250,000 General George (G3) at Laurel Park.

            The seven-furlong General George for 3-year-olds and up drew a field of 12 and highlights a special Presidents Day holiday card that includes the $100,000 Miracle Wood Stakes and $100,000 Wide Country Stakes and caps Laurel Park’s Winter Carnival.

            Trained by Tampa Bay Downs-based Kellyn Gorder, Grade 2 winner Bourbon Courage has not raced since rallying on a speed-favoring track at Aqueduct for third in the November 29 Cigar Mile (G1). The effort came four weeks after he closed dramatically to finish fourth, beaten just two lengths, in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita.

            “We gave him a little break after the Cigar and just kind of freshened him up a little bit,” Gorder said. “Coming into this race he couldn’t be doing any better. We’re really happy with his energy level for an older horse. He’s moving good and training great.”

             A 6-year-old bay son of Lion Heart owned by Bourbon Lane Stable, Bourbon Courage began his career sprinting before being stretched out around two turns, where he won the 2012 Super Derby (G2) and placed in seven other graded stakes, including the Grade 1 Clark and Donn handicaps. His allowance win last October at Keeneland going 6 ½ furlongs snapped a two-year losing streak that included his Maryland debut in the 2014 Pimlico Special (G3).

            “One of the things that impressed me about the horse was he would work five-eighths in a minute flat and his gallop-out would be super impressive. That’s what kind of tipped us off to thinking maybe he could go two turns,” Gorder said. “We kept trying the big races around two turns and he would run well enough to keep doing it. In the Pimlico Special he ran down a little bit in that race and I’ve never seen him run down before in front. We gave him a nice break after that and the owners and I discussed things. I think he should like the seven furlongs.”

            Bourbon Courage will carry jockey Sheldon Russell and 116 pounds from post one.

            Also shipping in for the General George is California-based contender Outside Nashville. Trained and co-owned by Jerry Hollendorfer along with John Carver and Green Smith, the gelded 5-year-old son of Broken Vow won his last two starts over the synthetic surface at Golden Gate Fields, both going six furlongs, including the Oakland Stakes.

            Unplaced in three previous graded stakes tries, Outside Nashville won Golden Gate’s 2012 Golden Nugget Stakes, a six-furlong sprint on synthetics, and the 2013 Robert Dupret Derby going 1 1/16 miles on turf at Santa Rosa. Dennis Carr has the mount from post 10 at 115 pounds.

            “It took us a while to figure out what he does best,” said Dan Ward, Hollendorfer’s long-time assistant who will saddle Outside Nashville at Laurel. “We tried running him long on the grass, and he always ran well, but it seems like he’s more effective sprinting. The rider that’s going to ride him is actually three-for-three on him, so maybe that’s the key. He returned from the layoff in really good form and he looks great, and we’re looking for it.”

            After considering recent Toboggan (G3) winner Salutos Amigos for the General George, trainer David Jacobson entered Gary Barber’s Grade 1-placed New York-bred Big Business, who drew post 6 and will have the services of jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. Now 7, the gelded chestnut son of Eddington won the Alex Robb Stakes to cap 2014 and opened this year running fifth by 1 ½ lengths in the Hollie Hughes on January 18.

            Zee Bros returns to Laurel Park three months after closing his 4-year-old campaign with a 29-1 upset of the six-furlong Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash last November. Trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, the son of Brother Derek faded to third after setting all the pace in the Fifth Season Stakes on January 15 at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., Lukas’ winter home. Jose Ortiz gets the call from post 5 at topweight of 117 pounds.

            Claimed last fall for $40,000, Praetereo will be making his fourth start for trainer Michael Moore and E and G Stable in the General George. The 7-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway ended a 12-race losing streak with back-to-back wins in the Valley Forge Stakes on December 30 and a February 1 allowance, both going seven furlongs at Parx. Praetereo will break from post 3 at 113 pounds.

            Smith Farm and Stable’s Javerre, winner of the General George in 2013, returns this year for trainer Cathal Lynch. The 6-year-old Outflanker gelding most recently was third, a half-length behind Praetereo in the Valley Forge to close his 2014 campaign. 

            Rounding out the field are Grade 3-placed multiple stakes winner West Hills Giant; stakes-placed Misconnect and Souper Knight; Smash and Grab, runner-up in the Fire Plug Stakes on January 3 and sixth in last year’s General George; Cutty Shark, third in the Fire Plug and second in the City of Laurel Stakes last fall; and Perilous Indian, making his first start since being claimed for $25,000 on January 3.

            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. For more information contact David Joseph at david.joseph@gulfstreampark.comor call 954.457.6451.