Greeley and Ben battles for the win in the Dave’s Friend at Laurel Park (Jim McCue/MJC)
• G1 Winner Daddysruby Tops Nominees to Barbara Fritchie (G3)
• Sprints Headline Four Stakes Worth $600,000 in Purses Feb. 17
David Joseph/Maryland Jockey Club
LAUREL, Md.— Veteran campaigners Greeley and Ben, Little Vic and Super Chow, all with Grade 3 credentials, head a list of nine multiple stakes winners among 24 horses nominated to the $200,000 General George (G3) Saturday, Feb. 17 at Laurel Park.
The 48th running of the General George for 4-year-olds and up and 72nd edition of the $200,000 Barbara Fritchie for fillies and mares 4 and older, both sprinting seven furlongs, headline a Winter Carnival program featuring four stakes worth $600,000 in purses.
Older horses will also be in the spotlight in the $100,000 John B. Campbell going 1 1/8 miles and $100,000 Nellie Morse at 1 1/16 miles, the latter for fillies and mares. Post time for Winter Carnival will be 12:25 p.m.
DEA Thoroughbred Racing’s Greeley and Ben, fourth in an open allowance Feb. 3 at Laurel in his 10-year-old debut, won Laurel’s Dave’s Friend in December and the 2022 Fall Highweight (G3) at Aqueduct, all at six furlongs. Victoria’s Ranch’s Little Vic won the Tom Fool (G3) last March at Aqueduct and won his lone previous try at Laurel, the 2022 City of Laurel at the General George distance.
Lea Farms’ Super Chow, entered to run in Laurel’s Fire Plug last month before the race was postponed and ultimately canceled due to winter weather conditions, scored a front-running 4 ¼-length triumph in the seven-furlong Toboggan (G3) Feb. 3 at Aqueduct.
Other multiple stakes winners among the nominees are Post Time and Seven’s Eleven, respectively first and second in the Jan. 28 Jennings for Maryland-bred/sired horses at Laurel; Coffeewithchris, seventh in the 148th Preakness Stakes (G1) last spring; Nimitz Class, eighth last out in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park; Coastal Mission, No Cents and Threes Over Deuces.
Helen Marshall’s Bob Marco, claimed for $20,000 last summer by trainer Kieron Magee, has won four consecutive races by 25 ¾ combined lengths, all at Laurel since late September.
Jethorse, Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber’s Grade 1 winner Daddysruby, winner of the seven-furlong La Brea (G1) Dec. 26 at Santa Anita in her most recent start; graded-stakes winners Ice Dancing and Olivia Darling; and Hot Fudge, a winner of four straight including back-to-back stakes, top 32 nominees to the Barbara Fritchie.
Daddysruby, who held on by a nose in the La Brea, and Perry and Ramona Bass’ Ice Dancing, winner of the 2023 Santa Ynez (G3) that was sixth in the La Brea, are both based in Southern California. AMO Racing USA’s Olivia Darling, winless in two prior starts at Laurel in 2021 and 2022, captured the seven-furlong Inside Information (G2) Jan. 27 at Gulfstream.
KEM Stables’ Hot Fudge has strung together four consecutive wins for New York-based trainer Linda Rice, who shipped in to win the 2017 Fritchie with High Ridge Road. Hot Fudge won the six-furlong Garland of Roses off an eight-day turnaround Dec. 9 and last out scored by a half-length in the Jan. 27 Interborough, both at Aqueduct.
Graded-stakes placed Bluefield, Headland, Intrepid Daydream, Opus Forty Two and Princess Adaleigh; Moody Woman and Prodigy Doll, respectively third and fifth in last year’s Fritchie; and fellow stakes winners Apple Picker, Disco Ebo, Hybrid Eclipse, Kant Hurry Love, Last Leaf, Saddle Up Jessie and Tappin Josie are also nominated.
Seven horses including Bob Marco, Coffeewithchris, Little Vic and Nimitz Class, are cross-nominated in the John B. Campbell. Also, among the 26 nominees are Ain’t Da Beer Cold, promoted winner of the 2023 Maryland Million Classic; 2023 Deputed Testamony winner Be Better; graded-stakes winners Double Crown, Dubyuhnell and Magic Michael; and multiple stakes winner Lost Ark, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher.
Brittany Russell-trained stablemates Hybrid Eclipse and Saddle Up Jessie are also among 17 nominees to the Nellie Morse, along with Pletcher’s multiple Grade 2-placed Goddess of Fire; 10-time career winner Hashtag Lucky; Remington Park Oaks (G3) winner Honor D Lady; and Intrepid Dream, a winner of three straight but unraced since November 2022.
Notes ~ ~ ~
Jockey Jevian Toledo rode two winners Sunday, Overmuch ($3.60) in Race 4 and Point Dume ($5.60) in Race 8 …
Jevian Toledo also doubled aboard Jess’s Gypsy Girl ($6.60) in Race 5 and Mystic Seaport ($2.80) in Race 7 …
The $1 Jackpot Super High Five was solved by one lucky bettor for a $12,947.80 payoff in Race 6 …
Laurel’s winter Heritage Meet resumes with a live nine-race program Friday, Feb. 9 starting at 12:25 p.m.
