Eastern Bay Steps Up With Emotional General George Win

Built Wright Stables' 9-year-old Eastern Bay , racing closer to the pace than usual, took the lead at the top of the stretch and powered home by 1 1/2 lengths to earn his first graded victory Feb. 18 in the $250,000 General George Stakes (G3) at Laurel Park.

Eastern Bay, claimed by Built Wright for $35,000 in April of 2022 and placed in three prior graded stakes, won for the 19th time in his 53rd start and passed the $1 million mark in career earnings. He also gave jockey William Humphrey his first career stakes victory, and his success was a fitting tribute to late jockey Avery Whisman, who rode him to three victories in 2019-20 and was honored with a race named in his honor and coordinated national moment of silence earlier in the day.

Owner-trainer Norman 'Lynn' Cash presented Eastern Bay's saddlecloth from the General George to the Whisman family, who tearfully joined the connections in the winner's circle.

"It just seemed like this is the way the day should end. For Avery," Cash said. "Eastern Bay has never been up like that before. He wasn't that far off. Right then you knew he had to win, because he was only a length and a half off. Maybe he had a little help getting pushed down the lane by the powers that be. What a special day."

Pirate Rick , one of three Cash horses in the race, broke running and went straight to the lead, as expected, under jockey Jose Gomez. A winner of four straight sprints before finishing fourth last out in the Jan. 28 Toboggan Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack, Pirate Rick went the first quarter-mile in :23.02 under mild pressure from John the Bear , who came into the race off back-to-back victories at Laurel.

Eastern Bay ($17.40) raced in the clear in third outside of John the Bear before moving up to challenge Pirate Rick on the turn after a half in :45.43. Humphrey and Eastern Bay rolled past the leader approaching the lane and rolled past his stubborn foe in mid-stretch, having plenty left to hold off a late run from Yodel E.A. Who, who edged multiple stakes winner Beren  by three-quarters of a length for second.

"'Pirate' got an easy lead like we almost knew he would. I had questions about the distance (for him), but what a great duo these two are. You've got him on the pace and Eastern Bay coming around," Cash said. "He's such a strong horse, and he's a 9-year-old. He's an old guy."

Factor It In , the 6-5 favorite off back-to-back sprint stakes wins at Laurel, was a length back of Beren in fourth.

It was the eighth time since last April that Humphrey has gotten a leg up on Eastern Bay, with five of those races resulting in wins. Second by a nose in the 2020 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) at Laurel, Eastern Bay was making his first start since being runner-up in both the Vosburgh Stakes (G2) and Bold Ruler Stakes (G3) last October at Aqueduct, when he was ridden by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano.

"He broke a lot sharper than I was expecting and he was traveling so comfortably, and I know he's a strong stayer and when he gets his head in front, he's not going to let anyone pass him," Humphrey said. "So I was happy to kick on as we turned into the stretch and there was no looking back.

"To be honest with you, I'm feeling very much purely for Avery. Obviously, this was his favorite horse and his most winning horse and I'm in exactly the same position," he added. "He means the world to me and it's like a dream come true and the stars all aligned." 

Bred in Maryland by Nancy Lee Farms out of the stakes-winning Polish Numbers mare Chrusciki, Eastern Bay improved his record to 19-7-5, with earnings of $1,042,913. He is the first graded winner out of his dam, who has produced seven winners from nine starters. Her most recent foal is a Madefromlucky   filly dropped last year; she was bred to Irish War Cry   for 2023. 

Video: General George S. (G3)

Swayin to and Fro Lands 'Fritchie'

Baxter Racing Stable's Swayin to and Fro  sat off longshot pacesetter Liscolvin  for a half-mile before taking the lead, turned back grade 1-placed shipper Pass the Champagne  and held off late-running Fille d'Esprit  to become a graded winner in Saturday's $250,000 Barbara Fritchie Stakes (G3).

The daughter of Straight Talking  completed the distance in 1:23.75 over a fast main track to provide trainer Mario Serey Jr. and jockey Richard Monterrey with their first graded stakes victories. Serey claimed the 4-year-old South Carolina bred for $16,000 last May at historic Pimlico Race Course and won eight of 13 subsequent starts, including four stakes.

"I told everybody when I claimed this filly and I saw the potential and I saw the talent, every race she proved it. I'm so proud of her. This is a great, great filly," Serey said. "When I claimed her, I talked to the owner and (said), 'This is a stakes winner.' The class and the talent of the horse, they tell you right away."

The speedy Swayin to and Fro ($14.40) was content to let 21-1 shot Liscolvin take the early lead, going the opening quarter-mile in :22.44. Monterrey, aboard for the first time, sat chilly in second until taking over the top spot following a half in :45.20 tracked by Pass the Champagne, making just her seventh start and second in 12 months.

Swayin to and Fro extended her lead after going six furlongs in 1:10.47 having put away Pass the Champagne and fellow graded stakes-placed shipper Union Lake . Multiple stakes winner Fille d'Esprit, who snapped Swayin to and Fro's two-stakes win streak in the Jan. 21 What a Summer Stakes, was beginning to roll on the far outside and make a strong late bid but came up a half-length short. Moody Woman  completed the trifecta.

"I told Richie, 'Break her good, get in a good position and make her comfortable. If nobody follows you, she's OK. She can go to the lead. When you come to the straight and you feel a ton of horse in your hands, just wait and at the quarter pole let her go,'" Serey said. "All the good horses make it easy. She doesn't need much. She's a sweet filly. Today she showed she can win the grade 3."

Monterrey, who turns 39 next month, is a native of Venezuela who won his first race in the U.S. in 2003 at Gulfstream Park. A Mid-Atlantic regular who did not ride between 2017 and 2020, he owns 775 career victories.

"I have a lot of emotions and feelings going on in my heart and mind. So much joy and gratitude for the opportunity Mario and the owners gave me to ride this amazing filly. From the get-go, she wanted to go. To win my first graded-stakes with her and Mario, I am blessed," Monterrey said.

"Five years ago I was watching this race from home and I told my wife, 'I'm going to be riding that race one day,'" he added. "Turns out I am the winner. I lost my passion when you struggle. But that time I was away showed me so much gratitude for the things I love, and that's riding horses. I appreciate every horse I ride."

Bred in South Carolina by Franklin G. Smith Sr. out of the unraced Warrior's Reward   mare Jungle Lady, Swayin to and Fro is her dam's lone winner from two starters. The mare dropped a Done Talking  colt in 2021, did not produce a foal in 2022, and was sent back to Done Talking for 2023.

Stakes Roundup

Earlier in the day, Coffeewithchris  won the $100,000 Miracle Wood Stakes for 3-year-olds, Stonewall Star  captured the $100,000 Wide Country Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, Nimitz Class  led all the way the $100,000 John B. Campbell Stakes for 4-year-olds and up and Hybrid Eclipse  took the $100,000 Nellie Morse Stakes for fillies and mares 4 and older.

Video: Barbara Fritchie S. (G3)