Barbara Fritchie, General George Top Laurel Schedule
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Photo: Jerry Dzierwinski / Maryland Jockey Club
Majestic Reason wins the Barbara Fritchie Stakes at Laurel Park
Laurel Park announced a $2.65 million winter stakes schedule Dec. 2 highlighted by the $250,000 General George Stakes (G3), the $250,000 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie Stakes (G3), and automatic-qualifier races for the Preakness (G1) and Black-Eyed Susan (G2) stakes.
Laurel's winter schedule will also include two new stakes races—the $100,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs and the $100,000 Xtra Heat Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs. The $75,000 Not For Love Stakes and $75,000 Conniver Stakes for Maryland-bred/sired horses, not raced this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, will return March 13.
"We're optimistic about our winter racing season and believe this stakes schedule will provide us with some big weekends and a lot of strong cards and competitive races," said Sal Sinatra, the president and general manager of the Maryland Jockey Club, which operates the track.
The Spectacular Bid and Xtra Heat kick off the first big weekend of the winter at Laurel. Both races will be held Saturday, Jan. 16, along with the $100,000 What A Summer Stakes, and $100,000 Fire Plug Stakes, plus two races for Maryland-bred/sired horses—the $75,000 Geisha Stakes and $75,000 Jennings Stakes.
The annual Winter Carnival will be Feb. 13, highlighted by the General George for 4-year-olds and up and Barbara Fritchie for fillies and mares. Stakes also will include the $100,000 Wide Country Stakes for 3-year-old fillies and the $100,000 John Campbell Stakes and $100,000 Nellie Morse Stakes for older horses.
Along with the Conniver and Not For Love, the March 13 program will feature the Private Terms Stakes, Harrison Johnson Stakes, and Beyond The Wire Stakes.
The April 17 program will feature several events, including the $125,000 Federico Tesio Stakes, which provides an automatic berth for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the Preakness, and the $125,000 Weber City Stakes, a qualifier for the Black-Eyed Susan. The card also will feature the $100,000 Dahlia Stakes, $100,000 Henry Clark Stakes, and $100,000 King T. Leatherbury—all run on the turf—and the $100,000 Frank Whiteley Stakes and $100,000 Primonetta Stakes.
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| Date | Race | Purse | Age | Distance |
| 1/16 | Jennings Stakes (MD-Bred/Sired) | $75,000 | 4&up | 1 Mile |
| 1/16 | Geisha Stakes (MD-Bred/Sired) | $75,000 | F&M 4&up | 1 Mile |
| 1/16 | Spectacular Bid Stakes | $100,000 | 3 YO | 7 Furlongs |
| 1/16 | Xtra Heat Stakes | $100,000 | F3 YO | 6 Furlongs |
| 1/16 | Fire Plug Stakes | $100,000 | 4&up | 6 Furlongs |
| 1/16 | What A Summer Stakes | $100,000 | F&M 4&up | 6 Furlongs |
| 2/13 | Miracle Wood Stakes | $100,000 | 3 YO | 1 Mile |
| 2/13 | General George Stakes (G3) | $250,000 | 4&up | 7 Furlongs |
| 2/13 | Runhappy Barbara Fritchie Stakes (G3) | $250,000 | F&M 4&up | 7 Furlongs |
| 2/13 | Wide Country Stakes | $100,000 | F3 YO | 7 Furlongs |
| 2/13 | John Campbell Stakes | $100,000 | 4&up | 1 1/16 Miles |
| 2/13 | Nellie Morse Stakes | $100,000 | F&M 4&up | 1 1/16 Miles |
| 3/13 | Beyond The Wire Stakes | $100,000 | F3 YO | 1 Mile |
| 3/13 | Harrison Johnson Stakes | $100,000 | 4&up | 1 1/8 Miles |
| 3/13 | Private Terms Stakes | $100,000 | 3 YO | 1 1/16 Miles |
| 3/13 | Not For Love Stakes (MD-Bred/Sired) | $75,000 | 4&up | 6 Furlongs |
| 3/13 | Conniver Stakes (MD-Bred/Sired) | $75,000 | F&M 4&up | 7 Furlongs |
| 4/17 | Federico Tesio Stakes | $125,000 | 3 YO | 1 1/8 Miles |
| 4/17 | King T. Leatherbury Stakes | $100,000 | 3 & up | 5 1/2 Miles Turf |
| 4/17 | Primonetta Stakes | $100,000 | F&M 3&up | 6 Furlongs |
| 4/17 | Frank Whiteley Stakes | $100,000 | 3&up | 7 Furlongs |
| 4/17 | Weber City Stakes | $125,000 | F3 YO | 1 1/16 Miles |
| 4/17 | Dahlia Stakes | $100,000 | F&M 3&up | 1 Mile Turf |
| 4/17 | Henry Clark Stakes | $100,000 | 3&up | 1 Mile Turf |