The General George Stakes is an American
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...
run annually on Presidents' Day in mid February at
Laurel Park Racecourse
Laurel Park, formerly Laurel Race Course, is an American thoroughbred racetrack located just outside Laurel, Maryland which opened in 1911. The track is miles in circumference. Its name was changed to "Laurel Race Course" for several decades un ...
in
Laurel, Maryland
Laurel is a city in Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore on the banks of the Patuxent River, in northern Prince George's County. Its population was 30,060 at the 2020 census. Founded as a mill town i ...
. A Listed event, it is open to horses age three and older. Raced on dirt over a distance of seven
furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to any of 660 foot (unit), feet, 220 yards, 40 rod (unit), rods, 10 chain (unit), chains, or a ...
s, it currently offers a purse of $250,000.
Originally run as a handicap, the race is currently run under allowance weight conditions.
The race is named for General
George Washington
George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
(1731–1799), first president of The United States and Commanding General of the American Revolutionary Army. The General typically draws the third highest crowd of the year at Laurel Park Race Course, trailing only the Maryland Million and the
Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes in average attendance.
[2007 Maryland Jockey Club Media Guide, page 46 on March 3, 2007.]
The race was held at Bowie Race Course from 1973–84 and at Pimlico Race Course in 1986. It was not held in 1979, 1982–83 or 2006. In 2006, the General George Handicap was not run due to concerns over an outbreak of the
equine herpesvirus that shut down all racing in Maryland for several weeks.
In 2025 the event was downgraded by the
Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association
The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) is an American trade organization for Thoroughbred racehorse owners and breeders, which is based in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1961, TOBA's stated mission is to "improve the economics, i ...
to Listed status.
Records
Speed record:
* 7 furlongs – 1:20.95 – Greenspring (2010)
* miles – 1:44.00 – Templar Hill (1987)
Most wins by a horse:
* No horse has ever won the General George Handicap more than once
Most wins by a
jockey
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...
:
* 3 –
Mike Luzzi
Michael Jude Luzzi (born October 27, 1969, in Wilmington, Delaware) is an American jockey. He grew up near Delaware Park Racetrack where his grandfather, trainer Buddy Raines, had a major role in raising him and his brother John who also became ...
(1991, 1999, 2012)
Most wins by a
trainer:
* 2 –
Bruce N. Levine (2008, 2015)
* 2 – Jerry Robb (1987 & 1989)
Most wins by an owner:
* 2 – Four Roses Thoroughbreds (1998 & 2007)
Winners of the General George Stakes since 1973
See also
*
General George Handicap "top three finishers" and starters
References
The 2008 General George Handicap at the NTRA{Dead link, date=December 2019 , bot=InternetArchiveBot , fix-attempted=yes
External links
Laurel Park racetrack
Previously graded stakes races in the United States
Open mile category horse races
1973 establishments in Maryland
Laurel Park Racecourse
Horse races in Maryland
Horse races established in 1973