Call Me George Breaks Out in New Orleans 'Cap

The Grant Forster-trained son of Point Given exited a third-place allowance effort behind a pair of New Orleans rivals and improved markedly in his second start off the layoff, despite being overlooked on the board at 22-1. Settled off of splits of :23.48, :47.57 and 1:11.27 set by longshot Go Go Rocket, Call Me George angled out at the top of the stretch and reeled in the leaders in the final sixteenth of a mile, stopping the clock in 1:51.07 for the nine-furlong main track trip.

Winning rider Graham was pleased with his mount’s performance. “He’s a good old horse and he has tried so hard against very tough company. It has been great (getting 2,000 wins). Thanks to Grant for putting me on this horse.”

Forster credited the rider for his part in the victory, adding, “We were certainly hoping for a good effort. That was just the epitome of a James Graham ride, giving 110% on every mount. Call Me George is a funny horse; he has a ton of personality. The harder you ride him, the harder he runs.”

Call Me George, winning for the sixth time in 23 career starts, returned $46.40, $15.20 and $5.20 as the second-longest shot on the board and boosted his bankroll to $415,621 with the $240,000 winner’s purse.

Brereton C. Jones’ Albano, trained by Larry Jones, battled throughout the stretch under Kerwin Clark with Southern Equine Stable’s Eric Guillot-trained race favorite Moreno, ridden by Joe Talamo, but neither could withstand the winner’s late charge after each getting what their respective riders called “a good trip.” Albano bested Moreno by a head for second, returning $4.20 and $3.00, and Moreno returned $2.40.

The late Jim Tafel’s Greg Geier-trained Afford loomed a threat off the turn for Robby Albarado but flattened late to finish fourth, followed by Red Rifle, One King’s Man, Indycott, and Go Go Rocket.