Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Factor It In brings solid form to General George Stakes
Three years after finishing sixth as a 7-1 shot in the General George, Factor It In will have higher expectations when he starts as the potential favorite in Saturday’s renewal of the Grade 3, $250,000 General George at Laurel Park.
The General George is the co-feature on a 10-race card that incudes the Grade 3, $250,000 Barbara Fritchie for females and four other $100,000 listed stakes. First post is 12:25 p.m.
Factor It In, a 7-year-old son of The Factor, has been a different horse for trainer Carlos Mancilla since returning from a 10-month layoff last July. He has four wins from seven starts – including consecutive stakes scores in the Dave’s Friend and Fire Plug – and finished no worse than third in that span.
Mancilla said the extended break came after the horse had run several subpar races in a row.
Though Factor It In has enjoyed success since his return, Mancilla said the horse has been dealing with quarter cracks throughout this recent run. Mancilla believes those are now under control.
“So far, so good,” Mancilla said Thursday. “He seems to be ready for this race.”
Factor It In won the Dave’s Friend on the lead, the Fire Plug from off the pace. Jockey Angel Cruz will likely need to employ the latter tactics on Saturday with the presence of the speedy Pirate Rick and Beren in the field.
“I’m going to tell my jock to sit there and make one run,” Mancilla said. “I feel comfortable. It’s a tough race with tough horses, but we’re tough too.”
Pirate Rick is one of three horses in this eight-horse field from the barn of Norman “Lynn” Cash. Pirate Rick put together a four-race win streak, capped by a seven-length score in a third-level allowance on Jan. 22 at Aqueduct. Cash wheeled Pirate Rick back six days later in the Grade 3 Toboggan, where he showed speed and faded to fourth.
The quick turnaround certainly had something to do with it, but even Cash admits Pirate Rick cold be vulnerable at seven furlongs.
“He’s got to have 12-13-14 days,” Cash said. “He should be primed now. The question is can he hold on for seven furlongs?”
Jose Gomez is in from New York to ride Pirate Rick from post 6.
Known for running horses back on short rest, Cash brings Eastern Bay back to the races off a 112-day layoff, or since he was beaten a nose by Runninsonofagun in the Grade 3 Bold Ruler on Oct. 29 at Aqueduct. That race came three weeks after Eastern Bay finished second to Elite Power in the Grade 2 Vosburgh. Elite Power came back to win the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and be crowned 2022 champion sprinter.
Cash said Eastern Bay ran down, or burned his heels, bad in his hind legs. He was put on the vet’s list by the New York Racing Association. Cash said Eastern Bay was failed by Maryland veterinarians twice before finally getting off the vet’s list.
“That was an expensive rundown,” said Cash, who would have run Eastern Bay earlier than this if possible. “He’s been working huge. I think he’ll benefit from having the extra 45 days.”
William Humphrey rides Eastern Bay from post 7.
Cash’s other starter is Sir Alfred James, who finished third in last year’s General George. He is 4 for 14 since, including a victory in the Russell Road Stakes at Charles Town last August, where he beat Eastern Bay.
Sir Alfred James came off a 114-day layoff to win an allowance at Laurel before wheeling back in 10 days and finishing fourth in a Charles Town allowance. He is again coming back in 10 days here.
Trainer Jamie Ness will run Yodel E. A. Who in the General George. Yodel E. A. Who had a little traffic in upper stretch of the Fire Plug and was running late at Factor It In to come within two lengths of that one.
Beren finished second with trouble to Factor It In in the Dave’s Friend before coming back to win an allowance on Jan 31 at Parx Racing. He did win the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash going six furlongs here last July.
John the Bear and Momos, who ran one-two in an allowance here on Jan. 16, complete the field.