Quint’s Brew had his coming-out party when he rolled to a six-length victory at odds of 9-1 in the Jennings Stakes last month at Laurel Park. The odds figure to be much shorter Saturday when Quint’s Brew seeks to validate that performance in the $200,000 General George Stakes at Laurel.
The seven-furlong General George, which lost its Grade 3 status starting this year, drew only six runners and is one of four stakes on a nine-race card that begins at 12:10 p.m.
In the Jennings, a race restricted to Maryland-breds, Quint’s Brew was making his first start for trainer Ned Allard and first since last June 29 when he finished third but was elevated to second in the Star de Naskra Stakes at Laurel.
Quint’s Brew came out of the Star de Naskra with a hoof injury known as a grabbed quarter. He was entered in and scratched from an allowance at Laurel on Oct. 31 before being transferred from trainer Michael Gorham to Allard. In the Jennings, Quint’s Brew attended the pace set by race favorite Speedyness before leaving that one turning for home. Despite swapping leads a few times and veering in during the stretch run, Quint’s Brew was an authoritative winner, earning a 98 Beyer Speed Figure.
“I was impressed with his last race myself,” Allard said. “I though he’d run well. I wasn’t sure what well was going to be because I had never run him. He ran a monster race that day, he looks like he has a bright future.”
Whenever a horse runs a career-best race off a layoff, there is always the fear of a regression, or bounce.
“Judging from the way he’s trained and the way he’s acting, so forth, I don’t think that will be the case,” Allard said. “I’m expecting him to run really well on Saturday. He’s trained great, coming off a good race, just hope for the best.”
Quint’s Brew’s only defeat from four career starts came in the Star de Naskra, when he crossed the wire third, 6 3/4 lengths behind Celtic Contender. Quint’s Brew was bumped and had to take up at the start as Celtic Contender came over leaving the starting gate and caused crowding. The stewards disqualified Celtic Contender from first and placed him third behind Quint’s Brew, who was elevated to second.
Celtic Contender has since run six more times, winning three of his last four starts, including a 1 1/2-length victory in the Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial. Hamilton Smith, trainer of Celtic Contender, was going to give his horse a little more time off after his 12-race campaign in 2024, but said the horse is doing too well to leave him in the barn.
“He’s been training real well. His last several works have been perfect, he’s come out of the works good,” Smith said. “I was going to give him a little more time but he’s bouncing and doing really well so we decided to take a shot at the General George.”
Celtic Contender is drawn in post 3 and will be ridden by Victor Carrasco.
Prince of Jericho, trained by Brittany Russell, was a front-running winner of the Fire Plug Stakes going 6 1/2 furlongs at Laurel on Jan. 18. He has recorded all seven of his career victories at Laurel.
Mr. Antonelli has won a pair of allowance races for trainer Diane Morici and is making his stakes debut in this spot.
Circle P was second in the Bender and third in the Jennings and is likely best used for a minor placing.
Union Fleet will be seeking to end a nine-race losing streak.
John B. Campbell Stakes
Offaly Cool only ran twice in 2024 but he won both starts, including the Kris Kringle Stakes at Parx on Dec. 31.
Saturday, Offaly Cool makes his 2025 debut as potentially the one to beat in Saturday’s $100,000 John B. Campbell Stakes at 1 1/8 miles.
:: Subscribe to the DRF Post Time Email Newsletter: Get the news you need to play today's races!
Offaly Cool began 2024 with a dominant victory an allowance race at Parx on Jan. 30. Offaly Cool didn’t run again until Dec. 31 when he won the Kris Kringle Stakes by a half-length over a very wet surface. In his favor was the fact he was one of the few horses to come from off the pace that day.
The horse to catch will be Speedyness, who set the pace and faded to fourth in the Jennings going a one-turn mile on Jan. 18. Prior to that, he was beaten a head by the Linda Rice-trained Film Star in the Robert Manfuso Stakes going 1 1/16 miles.
Hittheroadjak, Cataleya Strike, and Wild Vine, third, fifth, and sixth, respectively, in the Manfuso, are back in this spot.
Brilliant Ice and Deposition complete the field for the Campbell, which goes as race 7.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.