Post Time, Apple Picker Give Russells Stakes Double

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 Apple Picker Overcomes Traffic to Win Barbara Fritchie Sheldon Russell had his hands full while picking where Apple Picker would mount her rally, but the 4-year-old daughter of Connect took home a basket full of the winner's share of a $200,000 purse in the seven-furlong Barbara Fritchie Stakes. Settling in last of the field of seven behind fractions of :22.83 and :45.32, Michael Dubb's homebred began to launch her rally along the rail at the three-eighths pole. Angled toward a hole between Continentalcongres and Last Leaf at the quarter pole, the door shut and the rider pulled his mount towards the rail. Continuing to improve down the lane, Sheldon Russell had to reroute again, this time outside, to avoid fading pace challenger Beneath the Stars. Once in the clear, the brave Apple Picker surged between pacesetter Disco Ebo and the closing Last Leaf and kicked away to victory by a length in 1:25.22. Last Leaf held on to second by a head from late-running Prodigy Doll. Apple Picker paid $12.40 to win. "That's her running style," Brittany Russell said, "I was really happy the way she came into it. We had this race in mind for quite some time." Following a three-race losing streak, Brittany Russell wanted to give Apple Picker the best chance to add a graded stakes win to her résumé and decided to train up to the race rather than prep in the Jan. 26 What a Summer Stakes at Laurel. The decision proved fruitful as the new graded stakes winner increased her earnings to $330,783.