Evangeline Downs Ends Meet With Stakes Bonanza
© Coady Photography
OPELOUSAS, LA—DECEMBER 15, 2015—Fastest qualifier Queen Washita, a brown daughter of champion Inseperable racing for Jorge Aguilera, is one of 10 juveniles entered back in Saturday’s 400-yard, $257,650 Evangeline Downs Futurity, one of four official stakes offered during the track’s closing-day program.
A stakes-placed filly trained by Adrian Huitron, Queen Washita is coming off of a dominating 2 1/4-length win in the fourth of nine trials on November 27. She has earned $13,995 from seven outs, and her resume includes a third-place finish in the 400-yard, $50,000 Dash For Cash Juvenile Invitational Stakes at Lone Star Park on October 10.
Queen Washita drew post 6 and will be ridden by Manuel Gutierrez.
Other contenders include Pete Scarmardo’s Dash Dont Cheat, a homebred gelding by Down N Dash trained by Larry Kopycinski. An earner of $56,457 from eight starts, the gelding has shipped in from Texas, where he was a finalist in the 400-yard, $449,000 Dash For Cash Futurity (G1) at Lone Star Park on October, and the 350-yard, $414,000 TQHA Sale Futurity (RG2) at Retama Park in July.
Francisco Calderon will ride Dash Dont Cheat from post 3.
The complete lineup, in post-position order including jockey assignments--
- Barefoot Beach (Sergio Fuentes)
- WRS Quick Eagle (Joe Badilla Jr.)
- Dash Dont Cheat (Francisco Calderon)
- Setyoursightshigh (Alejandro Medina)
- The Valiant Prince (G.R. Carter Jr.)
- Queen Washita (Manuel Gutierrez)
- Heza Lucky Chic (Jose A. Rodriguez)
- Windschke (David Alvarez)
- Catching Fire Corona (John Hamilton)
- Tac It Sassy (Donald Watson).
Evangeline Downs Derby
Cobalt Creek, a Grade 1-placed son of Walk Thru Fire trained by John Stinebaugh for owner Victor W. Pryor Jr., drew the rail post for Saturday’s 400-yard, $145,100 Evangeline Downs Derby.
The ninth-fastest qualifier, Cobalt Creek has banked $144,541 from eight starts. Campaigned in New Mexico last summer, the Missouri-bred gelding placed third in the 400-yard, $900,000 Rainbow Derby (G1) on July 18.
Gilbert Ortiz has been named to ride Cobalt Creek on Saturday.
The complete lineup, in post-position order including jockey assignments--
- Cobalt Creek (Gilbert Ortiz)
- Ncc Game On (Francisco Calderon)
- Iconic Jess (Alfonso Lujan)
- Happie Happie Happie (David Alvarez)
- WW Showtime (Raul Ramirez Jr.)
- Executive Successor (Eddi Martinez)
- Zoomin Baby (Francisco Ramirez Jr.)
- Exquisite Stride (Joe Badilla Jr.)
- McM Storm Catcher (G.R. Carter Jr.).
Sam’s Town Stakes
One of three distaffers in the 10-horse field, Louis Johnson Jr.’s TF Eyes R Struttin drew post 9 for the 350-yard, $25,000 Sam’s Town Stakes on Saturday.
TF Eyes R Struttin has won her last two races, both stakes against fillies and mares, including the 330-yard, $30,000 Billy Montgomery Stakes (R) at Evangeline Downs on October 24. The 4-year-old Struttin to Beduino mare will be ridden by Raul Ramirez Jr. for trainer Lanny Keith.
The complete lineup, in post-position order including jockey assignments--
- Chale Viejo (Armando Ramirez)
- Quic Carter (Eleazar Hernandez)
- Sleepers Best Corona (Alfonso Lujan)
- Scoopies Leaving You (Donald Watson)
- JW Divino Comento (John Hamilton)
- T Boy G (David Alvarez)
- Allizoom (Eddie Aceves)
- Cartels Fortune (Lucas Constantin)
- TF Eyes R Struttin (Raul Ramirez)
- The Eagle Express (Francisco Calderon).
IP 870 Stakes
Louis Howard’s Jessa Little Rusty will make his first-ever start in Louisiana in Saturday’s $25,000 IP 870 Stakes.
A 5-year-old Grade 1-winning son of Mr Jess Perry trained by John Stinebaugh, Jessa Little Rusty is coming off of a fourth-place finish, 2 3/4 lengths behind winner Executive Trust, in the 870-yard, $55,000 King Rick Rack Stakes at Zia Park on November 22. The gelding scored an upset 3 1/2-length victory in last year’s 870-yard, $100,000 Red Cell Distance Challenge Championship (G1) at Prairie Meadows.
Jessa Little Rusty drew post 7 and will be ridden by Gilbert Ortiz.
The complete lineup, in post-position order including jockey assignments--
- Austins Deal (Eddi Martinez)
- EC Cartel (Francisco Calderon)
- KR Jess Hopeful (Donell Blake)
- Keepn It Kool (Lucas Constantin)
- The Game Lover (Ray Mayo)
- Sheza Gamer (Garrett Medina)
- Jessa Little Rusty (Gilbert Ortiz)
- McM Zuper Man (Alfonso Lujan).
All Evangeline Downs races can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.