Funny Guy tries open company in General George at Laurel

Funny Guy tries to defeat open company for the first time when he starts in Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 General George Stakes traveling seven furlongs at Laurel Park.

Trained by John Terranova, Funny Guy won stakes races at all three NYRA tracks in 2020.

“He’s a strong colt,” said Terranova. “He loves to train. Even when he’s gotten beat. It’s like we’ve never gotten to the bottom with him. When I think of giving him a break, he comes back like a beast.”

Funny Guy finished second as the odds-on favorite in last month’s Say Florida Sandy at Aqueduct.

Said Terranova: “The last race, he struggled greatly with the racetrack. It was very deep and loose. He’s a big, heavy horse. He kind of slides and glides along so it was very tough for him to get through it. He just got up and won the race prior and he had to really work to do it. That was kind of the thought of going to Laurel.”

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Entrants for Saturday’s graded stakes at Laurel will start without Lasix. Funny Guy raced Lasix-off in the Say Florida Sandy.

“We scoped after the last race and there was no bleeding or anything like that,” Terranova said. “He’s very healthy that way and respiratory-wise.”

Laki won the Grade 3 Frank J. De Francis Memorial at Pimlico but was the beaten favorite in his last three races, including the Fire Plug on Jan. 16.

“I don’t know if I was forcing that race,” said trainer Damon Dilodovico. “Not that he was unsound, but he’s been with me for so long that I’ve got a feel on him when he’s really doing well. He just was not as sharp. He has a tell and I just don’t know if I saw it going into that race.”

In preparation for the General George, Laki breezed a half-mile in 46.80 seconds on Feb. 6.

“That was a really good effort,” said Dilodovico. “He’s coming into the race good.”

Share the Ride wheels back in two weeks after finishing third in the Grade 3 Toboggan at Aqueduct. He finished second in the Fire Plug while racing with a bar shoe but raced without it last time.

Lebda makes his third start as a gelding and has the speed to be forward. Majestic Dunhill finished second in the 2019 General George and won the Grade 3 Bold Ruler at Belmont on Halloween. Both of his dirt wins have come on wet tracks.

Miracle Wood

Kenny Had a Notion and Maythehorsebwithu engaged in a race-long battle to finish necks apart in last month’s Spectacular Bid and will renew their rivalry in the $100,000 Miracle Wood Stakes for 3-year-olds at a one-turn mile.

Kenny Had a Notion raced six times at 2 and won stakes on both turf and dirt.

“He does seem to get better with racing,” said trainer Dale Capuano. “We got him on the grass and that was a weak race of Virginia-breds, but he ran well. I think that got his confidence up and turned him around.”

Maythehorsebwithyou has hit the board in his last four starts. “He’s great,” said trainer Brittany Russell. “He’s been training very well. He’s shown energy, worked good, and we’re very happy with him.”

Tiz Mandate ran fourth in the paceless Spectacular Bid. “Even before his first race, we knew he was going to be looking for more ground,” said Dilodovico. “Really, we were kind of surprised that he rallied in that race. He was so far back. He’s still super green.”

Wide Country

Street Lute is the leading 3-year-old filly in the region and brings a four-race win streak into the $100,000 Wide Country Stakes at seven furlongs. Trained by John Robb, Street Lute has no shortage of challengers.

Little Huntress scratched from Monday’s rescheduled Ruthless Stakes at Aqueduct. A fleet second-out winner by 14 lengths, she’ll receive Lasix for the first time.

“We’ve put her in situations in the morning to see her best way of going, but this is a free-rolling filly,” said Russell.

Fraudulent Charge missed by a nose to Street Lute in the Gin Talking. She scratched from an allowance on Jan. 29. “Because of the weather, we weren’t really confident to stretch her out to the mile yet,” said trainer Lacey Gaudet. “She’s been breezing her last two works with Dontletsweetfoolya.”

◗ Cordmaker looks to break a losing streak in the $100,000 John B. Campbell Stakes at 1 1/16 miles. Slotted in tough races last year against the likes of Harpers First Ride, Cordmaker had a difficult trip when third in the Jennings. In that race, he was shuffled on the backstretch and finished third despite his rider misjudging the finish. Other strong contenders include Dixie Drawl and Galerio.

◗ Lucky Stride rallied from off the pace to win last month’s Wayward Lass at Tampa Bay and might find a similar race shape in the $100,000 Nellie Morse for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles. Trained by Michael Trombetta, the sharp mare will face stern challenges from Wicked Awesome, Lucky Move, and Landing Zone.