No Advantage endures wide trip, wins General George

No Advantage took the overland route to win the General George (Maryland Jockey Club/Jim McCue) Saurez Racing’s NO ADVANTAGE (Posse) might have traveled farther than anyone in Monday’s $150,000 General George H. (G2) at Laurel. Breaking outside all of his rivals from post 11, the six-year-old kept in the clear down the backside while making steady advancement through the field. Despite coming under a drive by Manuel Chaves approaching the quarter pole, No Advantage had more to give as he seized control from the tiring leaders with a furlong remaining and held off a late inside bid from 5-2 favorite Laysh Laysh Laysh (Whywhywhy) while continuing to race out in the middle of the track. The winning margin was a neck in a time of 1:24 2/5 for seven furlongs over the fast main track. Laysh Laysh Laysh rallied from near the back to just miss in a good try. He finished 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Heritage Hall (Unbridled’s Song), a 25-1 chance who also raced six-wide while making progress around the far turn. Heritage Hall finished 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Ben’s Cat (Parker’s Storm Cat) who was followed across the wire by Driven by Success (Precise End), Temecula Creek (Gulch), Delaunay (Smoke Glacken), Streetsofbrooklyn (Friends Lake), Sin and the City (Speightstown), Evening Concerto (Concerto) and Taquarub (Aldebaran). Driven by Solar (Frued), Escrow Kid (City Place) and Morumsco (Not for Love) were scratched.

The early speed in the General George collapsed, in particular Grade 3 winner
Taquarub, who was still third with a furlong to go before stopping. Driven by
Success, who reached the quarter in :23 2/5, and Delauney, who narrowly on top
after a half in :46 3/5, did not falter to such an extent but this General
George belonged to the closers.

No Advantage, trained by Stephanie Beattie, returned $23.80, $8.20 and $5.80
while topping the exacta worth $100.40 and a 13-4-7 trifecta worth $1,237.20.

The General George was the second career stakes win for No Advantage, who
notched the 2009 William Donald Schaefer S. (G3) but was second to champion
Blame in the 2010 renewal of that Pimlico fixture. No Advantage also counts wins
in the 2009 Wild and Wonderful S. at Charles Town and the 2010 Auld Lang Syne S.
at Parx Racing. He preceded this score with a second in the Native Dancer S. at
Laurel, one of five stakes placings during his career. His record stands at
28-9-6-3, $481,762.

Beattie said springtime goals for No Advantage would include the April 16
Charles Town Classic (G3) and a third try in the May 21 William Donald Schaefer.

Bred in Kentucky by Viking Stud, No Advantage was produced by the winning
Prime Advantage (Tactical Advantage), who has also reared a juvenile filly named
Gold Advantage (Badge of Silver) and a yearling colt by Broken Vow. This is the
family of Grade 3 winners Aegean (Northern Afleet), Sky Terrace (Skywalker), I
Rejoice (Lord Gaylord), Millencolin (Dehere) and I’m a Thriller (Tri Jet).
Aegean recently scored in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint in late
January.

No Advantage has gone through the sales ring four times, most recently at the
2009 Keeneland November sale when bringing $50,000 as a racing prospect.