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Sharp Effort Puts Bubba Mallard On Top in LQHBA Breeders' Derby Trials


Bubba Mallard(#4) holds off Shez The Bomb(#8) to set the fastest qualifying time in the LQHBA Breeders' Derby trials Saturday night at Evangeline Downs.

© Coady Photography

OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 17, 2017—A sharp effort by Bubba Mallard (9-1) put him a head in front of stakes winner Shez The Bomb to set the fastest qualifying time for the $316,991 LQHBA Breeders' Derby Saturday night at Evangeline Downs.

The 10 fastest qualifiers, from three trials contested, will return on Saturday, December 16th to vie for a winner's purse worth $141,061.

Ridden by jockey Everardo Rodriguez, Bubba Mallard completed the 400 yard course in :19.522 seconds to record a 103-speed index with a 20-mph tailwind. It was the third win in 11 starts for the son of multiple stakes sire Sir Runaway Dash who qualified to his first-ever official stakes final.

Bruce Bell conditions the gray gelding for owner Salvador Marquez. Bred by Gerald Patin, from the First Down Jewel mare Miss Mallard, Bubba Mallard was second in the Louisiana Downs Maiden Stakes (not black type) on February 11th. He has earned $36,301.

No Politics Here(#2) digs in against Tf Racee Runway in the second trial for the LQHBA Breeders' Derby.
© Coady Photography
Shez The Bomb held on to the 2nd fastest qualifying time of :19.538 seconds, also a 103-speed index. Eusevio Huitron conditions the stakes winning daughter of Heza Fast Dash for owners Watson Land and Cattle and Live Oak Farms.

Damian Martinez rode the bay filly from the Mr Jess Perry mare Mornin Jess. Bred by Live Oak Farms, Shez The Bomb has earned $126,481. She won the Audobon Stakes at the Fairgrounds last August.

Restricted grade 3-placed winner No Politics Here dug in late under jockey Noe Castaneda to hold off last year's LQHBA Million Futurity(RG1) winner Tf Racee Runaway in the second trial. The Jess Louisiana Blue gelding posted the 3rd fastest time of :19.573 seconds, a 102-speed index with a 20-mph tailwind.

Leading trainer Kenneth Roberts, Sr. saddled the sorrel gelding for owner T M Ranch. Bred by J.E. Jumonville Jr., from the Apollo (TB) mare In His Dreams, No Politics Here has banked nearly $60,000.

Tf Racee Runaway, an earner of nearly $522,000, brushed at the start under jockey Jorge Linares but held for the 4th fastest clocking of :19.627 seconds, a 99-speed index.

Lightmeupwithcharm winning the opening trial Saturday for the LQHBA Breeders' Derby. © Coady Photography
Lanny Keith trains the son of Sir Runaway Dash for owner Tate Farms. He has not won a race this season but qualified for the Delta Downs Louisana Bred Derby(RG3) in July. Teddy Berry bred the four-time winner from the Streakin La Jolla mare Racee Rainbows.

In the opening trial Lightemupwithcharm bested First Prize Bourban by a half-a-length to get the 5th fastest time of :19.699, a 98-speed index. Hopped at the start and bumped midway, under jockey Raul Hernandez, Lightemupwithcharm races for owner Saul Dorado and trainer Manuel Macias.

Jumonville Farms bred the Sizzlin Cartel gelding from the Feature Mr Jess mare Grace Filled Charm. The four-time winner has earned $63,951.

Starting off a win in the Grade 3 Treme Stakes at Fairgrounds Racecourse last August, First Prize Bourbon held to the 7th fastest time of :19.768 seconds, a 96-speed index.

Jockey Donald Watson had the ridding assignment aboard the Coronas Leaving You gelding for trainer Kenneth Roberts, Sr. Charles Bourdreaux Jr. owns the earner of nearly $155,000. Weetona Stanley bred the brown gelding from the Mr Jess Perry mare First Prize Bonnie.

There were two trainers able to qualify multiple horses into the LQHBA Breeders Derby Final on Saturday night. Kenneth Roberts, Sr. had three horses in the top 10 and Eusevio Huitron had two horses among the 10 fastest qualifiers. Roberts’ third qualifier was 9th fastest Jrs Coronas Shadow. Huitron's second qualifier was 8th fastest Gone Swingin.

Each of the three LQHBA Breeders Derby trials offered a purse of $7,000. The $316,991 final will be one of four finals to be run on Saturday, December 16 at Evangeline Downs.

For the complete list of LQHBA Breeders' Derby qualifiers, times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.

Racing will resume at Evangeline Downs on Tuesday night with an eight-race program. Post time on Saturday will be 5:35 pm Central Time.

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For more information on the American Quarter Horse season at Evangeline Downs, visit the track’s website at evdracing.com. Evangeline Downs’ Twitter handle is @EVDRacing and the racetrack is also accessible on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EvangelineDownsRacing.

About Evangeline Downs
Evangeline Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel is owned by Boyd Gaming Corporation, a leading diversified owner and operator of 22 gaming entertainment properties located in Nevada, New Jersey, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Boyd Gaming press releases are available at www.prnewswire.com. Additional news and information can be found at www.boydgaming.com, or evangelinedowns.com.


Courtesy Ses