Javerre the best in General George

Smith Farm and Stable's Javerre upset the Bob Baffert-trained 6-5 favorite

Brigand in the Grade 3, $247,500

General George Handicap

at Laurel Park on Monday. The 6-1 shot paid $15.80, $6.00 and $4.60 for the

first graded win of his career, which was also a first for trainer Cathal Lynch.

Brigand crossed the wire in second, but was disqualified and demoted to last

of five because of an incident leaving the chute. Early on, the favorite bumped

Associate, causing him to unseat his rider, Erick Rodriguez.

Meanwhile, Javerre sat in second throughout the race as Il Villano posted fractions of

:23 and :46. The Lynch trainee took over the lead in the stretch and dug

in to win by 1 1/4 lengths. The four-year-old gelding covered seven furlongs in

1:23 4/5 over the fast main track with J.D. Acosta in the irons.

Javerre had finished third to Brigand two starts back in the December 8 City

of Laurel, but Lynch believed that he could turn the tables with a different

trip.

"After his race in the City of Laurel, I thought we had the best horse that

day," Lynch said. "He was stuck down on the inside the whole trip, didn't get

out to run until real late and had so much left past the wire, we put this race

on our map and decided to take a chance here.

"I'm so glad to win my first graded stake," Lynch added. "I got beat a nose in

a Grade 2 in New York last year and I've been just wanting to win one ever

since."

"I never rode him before," Acosta said, "but I've been on him a couple times in the morning. He worked awesome and I expected him to run the way he worked and

he did. I expect the one (Brigand) to be the one in front. When I saw Kendrick (Carmouche)

go to the lead with Il Villano, it worried me a little bit because that horse

could run, and knew I'd have a really big challenge down the lane, but I knew I

had the horse to make it work and so he did."

Brigand, who angled out for the drive and offered a mild rally, overtook Il Villano

by 1 1/2 lengths. But with Brigand's disqualification, Il Villano was moved up

from third to second. Broad Rule, the original fourth-place finisher, was

elevated to third. Fiddlers Afleet was promoted to fourth, and Brigand was

officially placed last. The riderless Associate did not finish, but both he and

Rodriguez were uninjured. Isn't He

Perfect and Thunder Lord were both scratched.

Javerre, a son of Outflanker, won his first three career starts, all at

Monmouth in New Jersey-bred company. After breaking his maiden in May of 2012,

he

went on to win two allowance races. A close third at Saratoga next out, he came

right back to capture his first stakes

victory in the New Jersey Breeders Handicap on September 15. Javerre has

remained in stakes company ever since, placing in the Maryland Million Sprint

Handicap, City of Laurel and Native Dancer before his Presidents' Day victory.

With his graded win, he boosted his bankroll to

$323,170 and sports a career record of

9-5-2-2.

Bred in the Garden State by Gunsmith Stables, Javerre is the first registered

foal of the multiple-stakes winning Touch Gold mare Our Fantene. Javerre's second dam is stakes winner Our

Cozzette, and his third dam is Grade 2 scorer Avie's Fancy, the dam of Grade 2

hero St Averil.

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