Yawanna Twist takes General George

After rating in behind stablemate This Ones for Phil for nearly six furlongs, Steel Your Face Stables' Yawanna Twist drove up inside that rival with a sixteenth remaining to grab the Grade 2, $200,000 General George Handicap at Laurel on Monday by a half-length. Under a ground-saving ride by Mike Luzzi, the five-year-old completed the seven-furlong test in 1:22 1/5 over a fast track and returned $5.80, $3.20 and $3.20 as the 9-5 favorite.

"He's a little racehorse and you can see his record," said Luzzi, who was winning the General George for a third time. "He tries every time but we got him great this year. I think he's probably the best he's ever been."

Luzzi, the Eclipse Award winner as outstanding apprentice in 1989 while riding in Maryland, previously won the General George with Star Touch (1991) and Esteemed Friend (1999).

This Ones for Phil, also trained by Rick Dutrow and coming off just three days' rest, was gallant in defeat at odds of 4-1. A winner last Friday at Aqueduct for a $100,000 claiming tag, This Ones for Phil set fractions of :23 and :45 2/5 before giving way in the final yards. At the finish he had a half-length on Toby's Corner, who was making his first start since his upset score in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial last April over champion Uncle Mo.

The Laurel-based Eighttofasttocatch, an eight-time winner over the strip, endured a rough trip. Slightly rank down the backside, the veteran gelding lacked running room in the stretch and was forced to steady before altering course and charging late for fourth. He reached the finish line ahead of Fordangshore, Caixa Eletronica and My Cuz C J.

The General George was the first stakes win for Yawanna Twist, who has fought back from infirmities throughout his brief 11-race career. Winner of his first two starts in New York-bred company by a combined 9 1/2 lengths, Yawanna Twist next ran second in the 2010 editions of the Grade 3 Gotham and Grade 3 Illinois Derby. He concluded his sophomore campaign with a solid fourth in the Grade 1 Preakness.

Out of action until February 11, 2011, Yawanna Twist successfully returned to take an open allowance at Gulfstream by 1 1/2 lengths. Second in the King's Point against fellow New York-breds in his next start, he was then third in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap. Yawanna Twist turned in the worst effort of his career, finishing 10th in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap last May, and was out of action for the next seven months. He made his most recent start against allowance foes at Aqueduct on New Year's Eve, winning as he pleased by 6 3/4 lengths. Yawanna Twist has earned $482,467 from a line of 11-5-3-1.

Bred by his owners, Yawanna Twist was produced by the stakes-winning Oliver's Twist mare Twist and Pop.

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