Five Star General should lead the charge in Evangeline Mile

Five Star General might have a tactical advantage Saturday night when he runs in the $100,000 Evangeline Downs Mile.

“It looks like he could be the controlling pace,” said trainer Grant Forster.

A field of seven is set for Evangeline’s signature race, which is for 4-year-olds and up. It will be showcased on a card that includes the $60,000 Lafayette for 3-year-olds at six furlongs. First post is 5:30 p.m. Central.

Strong Eagle, who won last year’s Evangeline Mile, is back against a field that includes Rightandjust, who was second in last year’s running and third in 2021. Hyperbolist enters off back-to-back allowance wins at Delta Downs, while Dust Em is looking for his first stakes win after missing by a neck in the Star of Texas last month at Sam Houston.

Five Star General should go favored off a second-place finish to Zozos in a March 2 allowance at Fair Grounds. He set the pace and finished two lengths behind the winner, who last year was the runner-up in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby. The start was the first since December for Five Star General and he earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 96.

“He’s coming off a really strong race coming back, was beat by a nice horse,” Forster said. “He’s come back and continued to do well in New Orleans.

“We kind of came together late in the Fair Grounds meet and thought this looked like it could be a good spot for him.”

Five Star General races for Elttaes Stable, which sent the horse to Forster last fall on the recommendation of trainer Doris Harwood.

“Doris was retiring, recommended me,” Forster said. “I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time.”

Five Star General won a three-other-than allowance route at Keeneland in October in his first start for Forster. Overall, the 7-year-old has earned more than $440,000 while winning races like the Central Park at Aqueduct at 2 and the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby at Hastings at 3.

“He’s an interesting horse,” Forster said. “I don’t know of many horses that have won at Laurel, Aqueduct, Hastings, and Keeneland.”

Five Star General will break from post 6 under Tim Thornton.

“He decided late in life he wants to go to the front – that’s what he wants to do,” said Forster.

“He’s a really classy horse, a really pretty horse, just a good-looking, big, solid dude. I hope at some point he’ll end up standing at stud. He has a very nice pedigree, being a multiple stakes-winning son of Distorted Humor.”

Dust Em has won on the Evangeline main track. He was second in the Star of Texas, which was a mile race for 4-year-olds and up bred in Texas. C.J. McMahon has the mount from post 5 for trainer Sarah Delany. Dust Em is out of a multiple stakes-winning mare who won 19 races and earned more than $300,000.

◗ Triple Crown nominee Ghost Hero will be looking for the third stakes win of his career in the $60,000 Lafayette. The field of eight includes Double Edge Sword, who is 2 for 2, and Fair Grounds stakes winner Not On Herb.