Five Star General and Joe Bravo prevail in the 2023 Longacres Mile

FIVE STAR GENERAL TOPS NOMINATIONS TO LONGACRES MILE

AUBURN, Wash. (Aug. 4, 2024) – Defending champion Five Star General and 2022 winner Slew’s Tiz Whiz headline a list of 21 older horses nominated to the 89th renewal of the $150,000 Longacres Mile on Sunday, Aug. 11.

The amazing Five Star General is set for his fifth straight Mile. He finished second in 2020, third in 2021 and 2022, and first in 2023 with a powerful 1 ½-length score in 1:34.73. Owned by Ken Alhadeff (Elttaes Stable) and trained by Grant Forster, the 8-year-old full horse by Distorted Humor has a niche for middle-distance races across the nation, entering the Mile with a career record of 12-6-9 in 38 starts with earnings of $819,702.

Incidentally, Forster is the fourth different Mile trainer for Five Star General. Glen Todd trained in 2020, Sandi Gann in 2021, and Doris Harwood in 2022. Forster, based in Kentucky, took over upon Harwood’s retirement at the end of the 2022 season.

With a victory, Five Star General would join a select group of two-time Mile winners: Stryker Phd (2014-15), Simply Majestic (1988-89), Trooper Seven (1980-81), Amble In (1946, 1948). He also would join Awesome Gem and Gigantic as the only 8-year-old winners.

Joe Bravo, who guided Five Star General to a front-running score in last year’s race, returns as the jockey in 2024.

Slew’s Tiz Whiz ranks among the most exciting horses in track history, using his explosive late burst to overhaul Papa’s Golden Boy to win the 2022 Mile and he took the overland route finishing third in 2023.

A 6-year-old Washington-bred owned by Slew’s Crew Racing, Slew’s Tiz Whiz is a two-time Washington Horse of the Year conditioned by two-time Mile-winner Tom Wenzel. Slew’s Tiz Whiz (22-9-4-3-$298,457) enters in peak form after dead-heating with Arma d’Oro in the July 21 Governor’s Stakes.

Trainer Blaine Wright holds a strong hand with 4-year-olds Clovisconnection and Prince Abu Dhabi. Both are stakes winners locally, Clovisconnection winning the 2023 Auburn Stakes and Irish Day Stakes and Prince Abu Dhabi taking the 2023 Muckleshoot Derby. Most recently, Clovisconnection captured the $66,000 Oak Tree Sprint at Pleasanton and Prince Abu Dhabi running third in the $150,000 Pleasanton Mile.

The speedy Papa’s Golden Boy, runner-up to Slew’s Tiz Whiz in 2022, and Il Bellator, second to Five Star General in 2023, are back for another go. Owned by Lusk Racing and trained by Vince Gibson, Papa’s Golden Boy has a good history around two turns including a second and fourth in the Mile and a victory over Slew’s Tiz Whiz in the 2022 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic. Owned by Ed and Theresa DeNike, Il Bellator’s resume includes a win in the 2022 California Derby at Golden Gate.

Justin Evans has four horses nominated to the Mile: Arma d’Oro, Giant Game, Neiman and Surprsinglyperfect. Fourth in the 2023 Mile, Arma d’Oro has come to hand in recent weeks, running the meet’s fastest mile in an eight-length victory, 1:34.03, and shortening to 6 ½ furlongs dead-heating with Slew’s Tiz Whiz.

Giant Game is a new acquisition for David Bernsen and Rockingham Ranch. The 5-year-old by Giant’s Causeway most recently finished seventh to The Chosen Vron in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby at Del Ma but enjoyed an excellent 2023 highlighted by a win in the Grade 3 Cornhusker Handicap at Prairie Meadows.

Neiman and Surprsinglyperfect have enjoyed tremendous seasons locally. A lightly raced 4-year-old by Munnings, Neiman scored at 18 to 1 in the June 23 Budweiser Stakes and held third to Arma d’Oro and Slew’s Tiz Whiz in the Governor’s. Surprsinglyperfect, a 10-year-old, is one of only two horse to win four races at the current meet.

Sunday’s card features an all-stakes $0.50 Pick 4 encompassing the Washington Oaks, Muckleshoot Derby, Emerald Distaff and Longacres Mile.

Entries for all four stakes will be drawn Wednesday morning.

$150,000 Longacres Mile, Sunday, August 11, 2024
Horse. . . . . . . . . Owner. . . . . . . . . .Trainer
Apprehend (5H/KY) Peter Redekop BC Ltd. Barbara Heads
Arma d’Oro (6G/KY) Rakoczy Racing and Justin R. Evans Justin Evans
Clovisconnection (4G/CA) William L. Hedrick Blaine Wright
Creative Bid (5H/KY) Rage #1 Joe Toye
Deshambeau (4G/KY) Mike Hill Frank Lucarelli
El Alto Hombre (9G/KY) Elizabeth Kowalski Liz Kowalski
Five Star General (8H/KY) Elttaes Stable Grant Forster
Giant Game (5H/KY) David Bernsen and Rockingham Ranch Justin Evans
Il Bellator (5G/KY) Theresa & Edward DeNike Jose Bautista
Jin Tong (4C/KY) Wayne Williams or Terra Firma Farm Joe Toye
Ko Samui (5G/IRE) Hon Cheung Kum Luciano Medina Gabriel
Mongolian Memory (5H/KY) Horseplayers Racing, Three Kings & The Vinery Scott Tubbs
Move Over (9H/GB) Rage #1 Joe Toye
Muncey (7G/KY) Rising Star VII Howard Belvoir
Neiman (4G/KY) Mike Abraham, Leslie Amestoy and Pierre Amestoy Jr Justin Evans
Papa’s Golden Boy (8G/WA) Lusk Racing Vince Gibson
Phantom Ride (4C/KY) WYN Racing Stables Corp. Ian Jewell
Prince Abu Dhabi (4G/KY) Lance Kinross and Steve Kinross Blaine Wright
Slew’s Tiz Whiz (6G/WA) Slew’s Crew Racing Tom Wenzel
Son of Thunder (6G/KY) Kara Lin Toye Joe Toye
Surprsinglyperfect (10G/KY) Rakoczy Racing and Justin R. Evans Justin Evans

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