Zee Bros Returns to Laurel for General George

Three months after taking the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash, Zee Bros returns to Laurel Park as the 117-pound starting highweight in the $250,000 General George Handicap (gr. III) Feb. 16.



Owned by Zayat Stables, Zee Bros will be a much shorter price in the seven-furlong General George than he was when he upset the field in the listed De Francis Dash Nov. 15 at 29-1. He was the longest shot on the board for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas in his only previous race over the track.



Zee Bros raced in second that day before taking command after a half mile was run in :44.87, drawing off to prevail by 2 3/4 lengths under Jose Ortiz, who is back to ride the 5-year-old bay horse in the General George.



By Brother Derek, Zee Bros made his 2015 debut Jan. 16, when he tired late to be a well-beaten third in the Fifth Season Stakes at Oaklawn Park, a rare route try for Zee Bros.



Zee Bros set the pace in the 1 1/16-mile race before weakening to finish 6 1/4 lengths behind. He has since breezed three times for the General George, including a bullet work at Oaklawn Feb. 7, when he covered five furlongs in 1:00 1/5, the fastest of 74 works at the distance.



Bred in Kentucky by Eico Stable, Zee Bros owns a record of 4-2-1 from 16 starts with earnings of $447,730, including a victory in the Chick Lang Stakes at Pimlico Race Course on May 18, 2013, when he was trained by Bob Baffert.



A field of 12 is entered in the General George, race 9 on the special Presidents' Day program at Laurel with a 4:27 EST scheduled post. Zee Bros will break from post 5 and will be spotting his rivals anywhere from one  to six pounds.



Bourbon Courage will be looking for some class relief in the General George as the 6-year-old horse drops down from grade I competition. In his past two starts, Bourbon Courage finished fourth in the Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park Nov. 1 before finishing third in the Cigar Mile Handicap (gr. I) at Aqueduct Racetrack Nov. 29.



Trained by Kellyn Gorder, Bourbon Courage owns a record of 4-5-6 from 21 starts with earnings of $1,115,877 for owner Bourbon Lane Stable. The 2012 Super Derby (gr. II) winner is a 6-year-old son of Lion Heart. Bourbon Courage will break from the rail under jockey Sheldon Russell.



Local hope Smash and Grab, victorious in four his past six starts, will try to win his first graded stakes race in the General George. Carrying 114 pounds and jockey Xavier Perez, Smash and Grab steps up off a powerful  5 1/2-length wire score in an allowance race at Laurel Jan. 31 for trainer Damon R. Dilodovico and will break from post 4.