Cordmaker Claims General George, Glass Ceiling Shines

Now in his sixth season of racing, there was little that Hillwood Stable's Cordmaker  hadn't done.

But Feb. 19 at Laurel Park, the 7-year-old Curlin   gelding put the exclamation point on a stellar career with a popular victory by three-quarters of a length in the $250,000 General George Stakes (G3).

The 46th running of the General George for 4-year-olds and up sprinting seven furlongs was the last of six stakes worth $900,000 in purses on a rich winter program co-headlined by the 70th renewal of the $250,000 Barbara Fritchie Stakes (G3) for older fillies and mares.

Trained by Laurel-based Rodney Jenkins, Cordmaker had to wait out an objection from the jockey of runner-up War Tocsin  before registering his 14th career win, ninth in a black-type stakes, and first against graded company. He also extended his career-high win streak to four races and approached $1 million in lifetime earnings.

It was the first graded win for Jenkins since teaming up with Ellen Charles' Hillwood to win the 2014 General George with Bandbox . Hillwood also earned a graded win as co-owner 2020 Barbara Fritchie winner Majestic Reason . Cordmaker had twice been graded stakes-placed, finishing third in the historic Pimlico Special Stakes (G3) in 2019 and 2020.

"It's very special, very special. We did it once before with Bandbox in this very race, and it was a cold day just like today," Charles said. "He's a horse that, with age, he doesn't seem to want to stop doing this. He gets better with age."

War Tocsin, longest shot in the field at 48-1, broke running from his rail post and rolled through a quarter-mile in :22.77 with Sir Alfred James  in closest pursuit. Cordmaker and jockey Victor Carrasco, aboard for the 25th time and 11th in a row, were pinned in along the inside but had moved up to second after a half in :45.33.

The even-money favorite in a field of seven, Cordmaker got an opening on the rail and put War Tocsin a length behind him straightening for home and turning into a strong headwind. Cordmaker began to drift out slightly inside the final furlong and Dexter Haddock aboard War Tocsin ultimately dropped back inside to continue the chase but ran out of real estate. It was 3 1/2 lengths back to Sir Alfred James in third.

The final time on the fast track was 1:23.58.

"When I came back and they showed the replay, I said, 'There's not going to be a change,' because I was pretty much in front of him. The jockey on (War Tocsin), he never steadied or stopped riding or anything. He just kept running with me, and then he decided to duck in," Carrasco said.

"My plan with this horse is always to give him some daylight around horses, because I feel like he's a better horse outside. I got the 2 hole and I have guys on the outside of me that aren't going to let me out when you're on the favorite," he added. "I was patient and when we passed the five-sixteenths (pole), I saw (War Tocsin) drifting out a little bit and I said, 'It's now or never.' I took advantage of that. When I asked him he responded well, and we got our picture taken."

Carrasco's mind briefly flashed back to mid-September when Cordmaker ran second beaten a length in the one-mile Polynesian Stakes at Laurel but was taken down and placed sixth for drifting out in the stretch. It is Cordmaker's only loss in the last six starts.

"This is amazing. I don't even know how to feel," Carrasco said. "I was nervous because a couple starts back I got disqualified and I didn't want the same thing to happen in a big race like this one. It's very special, and I'm very thankful to Mr. Rodney and Mrs. Charles, who have always been very loyal to me. I'm out of words."

"He's a lovely horse," Jenkins said. "This horse always shows up. That's what I love about him. He's all racehorse."

"We'll give him a little time off now. He's been running pretty hard and doing very well," Charles said. "You can't push it too far, nor do we want to."

Said Jenkins: "He deserves a rest. He's given us a lot of fun this year. All his life, actually."

Bred in Maryland by Robert T. Manfuso and Katharine Voss out of the winning Polish Numbers mare Tanca , Cordmaker was a $150,000 purchase by Hillwood from Chanceland Farm's consignment to the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale. Tanca is also the dam of black-type winners Corvus  (by Dance With Ravens ) and Las Setas  (by Seville ), and all seven of her foals to race have been winners. With earnings of $989,640 and a 14-4-7 record from 36 starts, Cordmaker is by far her most accomplished runner. The mare has an unraced 2-year-old colt by Madefromlucky   named Lucked In, has a yearling filly by Honor Code  , and was bred to Vino Rosso   for 2022.

Video: General George S. (G3)

Glass Ceiling Shines in Fritchie

Charlton Baker hadn't been in the Laurel Park winner's circle in nearly five years. Dylan Davis had never been. Saturday, the New York-based horsemen came together to win the biggest race for females on the winter calendar.

Baker and Michael Foster's Glass Ceiling  sat in behind Jakarta  for three-quarters of a mile before forging a short lead, then dug in again in deep stretch for a half-length victory in the Barbara Fritchie, a seven-furlong test.

Glass Ceiling ($3.80) extended her win streak to three races including the six-furlong Garland of Roses Stakes in December at Aqueduct Racetrack. It was her fourth win from eight tries since being claimed for $40,000 last May at Belmont Park by Baker, who won the 2017 Primonetta Stakes with Absatootly  in his last trip to Laurel.

"The distance was the main thing why we came here. I was looking for a graded stake while she was running good, and this was the obvious race," Baker said. "It was close. She's a fighter, so I was confident."

Davis has been aboard for each of the Constitution   mare's last six races. It was his 12th career graded triumph and first win at Laurel.

"This is my first time in the winner's circle here. It's a good race to choose, right?" Davis said. "Major props to Charlie. He gets along well with her and he knows how to train her, and we were able to come in and get the money. It's great."

Jakarta, third after setting the pace in the seven-furlong Inside Information Stakes (G2) Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park, was able to get to the lead from her outside post and held it through fractions of :23.08 for the opening quarter-mile, :46.21, for the half and 1:11.04 for six furlongs. Davis had Glass Ceiling in striking position in second with Fille d'Esprit  third on the rail.

"Sitting on the backside it looked like (Davis) was sitting real chilly," Baker said. "But, the :23 quarter I think was in favor of the speed horse, so she had to work down the lane."

The top two hooked up once straightened for home and Glass Ceiling wrested a short lead in mid-stretch, but Jakarta dug in on her inside and stubbornly yielded late. It was a half-length back to Fille d'Esprit in third. The final time was 1:23.82 over a fast main track.

"I thought Jakarta was going to go and maybe Bold Confection , and I ended up seeing Jakarta on an easy lead. (Glass Ceiling is) pretty tactical so I was able to get to Jakarta pretty nicely, but when we turned for home Jakarta was fighting me pretty well," Davis said. "I was able to just get away from her. (Jakarta) was engaging me pretty well but she was able to spurt on a little more, and she's a really game filly. I just feel like she's improved as an older mare. I never got on her earlier in her career but it just looks like she's really figuring things out. I think the maturity is really helping her."

Bred in Kentucky by Twin Creeks Farm out of the winning, stakes-placed Empire Maker mare Fighter Wing, Glass Ceiling was a $34,000 purchase in 2018 by agent Nick Hines from Vinery Sales' consignment to The October Sale, Fasig-Tipton's fall sale of selected yearlings in Kentucky, in 2018. She failed to meet her reserve on two previous trips through the auction ring. Glass Ceiling is the first graded stakes winner out of the mare, who has two winners from four foals to race. Her 4-year-old Graydar   half sister Graywing  is in training with Lacey Gaudet and broke her maiden in November at Laurel. The mare's 3-year-old filly by Misson Impazible and 2-year-old colt by Destin  are both unnamed and unraced. After no report for 2021, she was reported bred to Volatile   for 2022. 

Video: Barbara Fritchie S. (G3)

Earlier in the day, Local Motive  won the $100,000 Miracle Wood Stakes for 3-year-olds, Luna Belle  captured the $100,000 Wide Country Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, Galerio  edged Forewarned  in the $100,000 John B. Campbell Stakes for 4-year-olds and up, and Kiss the Girl  took the $99,000 Nellie Morse Stakes for fillies and mares 4 and older.