Started and conditioned for racing at the Aiken Taring Track by Cary Frommer
Courtesy of the BloodHorse

Post Time  made the leap to graded company in stylish fashion, taking the $200,000 General George Stakes (G3) in a powerful late-rallying victory. The win gave trainer Brittany Russell and her husband, jockey Sheldon Russell, back-to-back stakes scores Feb. 17 at Laurel Park following their win in the Barbara Fritchie Stakes (G3).

A Maryland-bred son of Frosted  , Post Time had garnered some attention on the Midlantic circuit with his 6 1/2-length romp in the one-mile Jennings Stakes against state-breds Jan. 28 at Laurel Park. The 4-year-old was no secret to the railbirds around Laurel, as the colt headed into the General George a perfect 6-for-6 over the Maryland oval, with his lone career defeat being a third-place finish in Keeneland‘s Perryville Stakes last October.

Sheldon Russell kept Post Time calm and collected in fifth position early as fellow Maryland-bred Seven’s Eleven  rolled through fractions of :23.81 and :46.61. Circling five-wide around the final turn, Post Time ignited a relentless drive to the wire, tearing into Seven’s Eleven’s lead with every stride.

Barreling past the pacesetter at the sixteenth pole, Post Time surged to the finish three lengths in front in 1:23.33 for seven furlongs on a fast main track. The final time was nearly two seconds faster than it took older fillies and mares to run in the Barbara Fritchie Stakes earlier on the card.

Seven’s Eleven, second to Post Time in the Jennings, played the bridesmaid once again with a runner-up finish over 24-1 shot Tenebris  in third.

Running for the colors of Hillwood Stable, who were winning their third General George following Bandbox  (2014) and Cordmaker  (2022) Post Time ($2.60) upped his bankroll to $417,910 with his fourth black-type win.

“I’d say we were a little worried shortening back up to the seven-eighths. There wasn’t a whole lot of lightning-fast speed in the race, so my goal was to keep him close enough. I felt like he traveled good. If anything, I felt like we had to rush him a little bit but once I got him clear at the eighth pole he spurted clear and showed his true class,” said Sheldon Russell

Hillwood Stable’s Maryland-bred star Post Time  looks to remain undefeated in his home state in the seven-furlong $200,000 General George Stakes (G3) at Laurel Park Feb. 17.

Maryland’s top juvenile of 2022, the son of Frosted is now a three-time stakes winner. His lone loss in seven starts came in the Perryville Stakes at Keeneland Oct. 21, finishing third beaten 1 1/4 lengths by Raise Cain  and Dr. Venkman  in his only start outside of Maryland.

Post Time enters on three weeks rest from a 6 1/2-length win in the Jennings Stakes while posting a career-high 116 Equibase Speed Figure, improving his Laurel record to 5-for-5.

VIDEO: JENNINGS S. (BT)

“He’s doing so well right now,” trainer Brittany Russell said. “He came bouncing out of his last race. This is a horse that I’m always very excited to walk over.”

Also entering off three weeks rest is Qatar Racing, Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables, Steve Adkisson, and Campeche Stables’ Nimitz Class , who has a record of 4-2-0 from seven starts at Laurel.

Nimitz Class defeated grade 1 winner Gunite   three starts back in the Parx Dirt Mile Stakes at Parx Racing Sep. 23. The 5-year-old son of Munnings   was last seen finishing eighth for his new owners and new trainer George Weaver in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 27.

The General George is race 9 with a post time of 4:33 p.m. ET.