Emerald Downs: 2023 Longacres Mile Winner “Five Star General” romps in the Tenacious Stakes at Fairgrounds

12/23/2023

(New Orleans, LA) Five Star General sat off the early lead in 2nd on August 13 in the 2023 Longacres Mile with jockey Joe Bravo aboard took the lead down the backstretch and was never seriously challenged. Since that big win trainer Grant Forster shipped him to Churchill Downs where the 7-year-old by Distorted Humor, out of Party of Interest by Bernardini ran on the lead in the 500k Grade 2 Lukas Classic but was overmatched and finished a distant 8th.

Forster then sent the General to Delta Downs for the 100k Delta Mile where he had the lead for the 1st half mile then battled nose and nose with the odds-on favorite to the top of the stretch and then held 3rd place. Marcelino Pedroz Jr got on Five Star General for the 2nd time and finishing 2nd in a Stake in Indiana before shipping out to Emerald Downs.

Forster then aimed Five Star General for tday’s Tenacious Stakes at the Fairgrounds. The odds-maker set Five Star General at 5-1 in the field of 8 racing for the 100k purse but the public was not convinced and the General drifted up to 12-1, the 2nd longest shot on the board. Folks in the NW know how consistent this horse is and he sports a 69% top 3 career finish rate from 32 career starts.

**Five Star General w/Marcelino Pedroza Jr**

As the horse got loaded there was a bit of a delay as several horses were a little fractious but Five Star General was the pro we all know he is and broke sharply for Pedroza from the 6 hole going straight to the lead. Brigadier General with Joel Rosario was a step behind on the outside in the 8 path but wanted the lead and Pedroza olbliged not wanting to set smoking fractions.

Pedroza and Five Star Genreral then eased to the outside of Brigadier and sat on his hip all the way down the backstretch. After 6-furlongs Pedroza had waited enough and F-S-G was ready to roll and cruised on by Brigadier and pulled away for a 3-length lead at the top of the stretch.

This is where Five Star General schooled the Fairgrounds regulars on what kind of competitor he is and held that 3-length lead all the way to the finish line covering the 1 1/16-miles in 1:44.04. Five Star General picked up another $60,000 to add to his bankroll which is now $677,429 and his lifetime record is 11-5-7 from 33 starts. Five Star General is owned by the Elttaes Stable and trainer Grant Forster got his 1st win of the Fairgrounds meet and is 1-2-0 from 7 starts.

Five Star General paid his supporters very well at 12-1. The $2 across the board paid $26.60, $11 and $7.20 for a $44.80 return on the old $6-combo ticket. 4-1 Pioneer of Medina ran 2nd, the show was 7-1 Happy American and capping the superfecta was 9-2 Brigadier General.

The $1 exacta paid $49.70, the 50-cent trifecta $169.40, the 10-cent super $115.91 and the $1 superfecta $1,159.10. Below you can see the video replay of the race and the interview with Pedroza after the Winner’s Circle ceremonies. Forster was not in attendance as he was back in Vancouver BC with with parents Dave and Terry who are celebrating their aniversary and Grant is staying for Christmas.

Congrats to Team Forster and the 2023 Longacres Mie Champion from Emerald Downs, Five Star General.

Replay of the “Tenacious Stakes”