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Rich LQHBA Louisiana Million Futurity Tops Eight-Race Saturday Card at Evangeline Downs


Two-time graded winner San Lorenzo Jetis the 2-1 morning-line favorite in Saturday's 400-yard, $1-million LQHBA Louisiana Million Futurity (RG1)at Evangeline Downs.

© Coady Photography

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

OPELOUSAS, LA–DECEMBER 14, 2022–Seven official stakes, topped by the state's richest Quarter Horse race, will be contested at Evangeline Downs on Saturday. Post time for the first race on the eight-race program is set for 5:35 p.m. (CST).

Ten state-bred 2-year-olds are entered back in Saturday's 400-yard, $1-million LQHBA Louisiana Million Futurity (RG1). Rogelio Marquez Jr.'s San Lorenzo Jet, a multiple stakes winning son of Jet Black Patriot and the fourth-fastest overall qualifier from 14 trials run November 25, is the 2-1 morning-line favorite. Trained by Jesus Marquez, the bay gelding has earned $555,410 from five starts, and his four wins include the May 28, 330-yard Louisiana Breeders' Laddie Futurity (RG2), and the July 16, 350-yard Lee Berwick Futurity (RG1), both at Delta Downs.

San Lorenzo Jet was a $49,000 purchase at last year's Louisiana QHBA Yearling Sale. The gelding drew post 7 and will be ridden by J.R. Ramirez.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
  1. Masseto (Rene Hernandez), 12-1
  2. Tha Duke (Arturo Alvarez), 5-2
  3. Five Bar Panther (Ali Rivera), 8-1
  4. Jess Sea Louisiana (Ricardo Hernandez Jr.), 7-2
  5. Cole Train 2 (Victor Urieta Jr.), 12-1
  6. Good Lookin Patriot (Eddie Sanchez), 20-1
  7. San Lorenzo Jet (J.R. Ramirez), 2-1
  8. Elegant Blues Girl (Eleazar Hernandez), 15-1
  9. One Dashing Dove (Jose A. Rodriguez), 20-1
  10. Turn The Eagle Loose (Guadalupe Lucio), 20-1

Tex Mex Racing's TF Jess Me will put his four-race win streak on the line in Saturday's 400-yard, $179,806 Louisiana QHBA Breeders' Derby (RG3).

A sorrel son of One Sweet Jess trained by Adrian Huitron and the fastest qualifier from two trials run on November 26, TF Jess Me has won four of six starts and has banked $40,110 this year, and his streak includes a neck victory in a 440-yard, $14,000 open-condition allowance race at Evangeline Downs on October 20. The gelding drew post 9 and will be ridden by Jorge Garcia.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
  1. Flying Adelia (Juan F. Garcia Jr.), 20-1
  2. Blessher Sweet Heart (Guadalupe Lucio Jr.), 20-1
  3. Dianetoseparatefromu (Eleazar Hernandez), 15-1
  4. Mr Fast Mallard (Ubaldo Luna), 6-1
  5. Mr Crawfish (Rene Hernandez), 15-1
  6. Ultimo Alex (Ali Rivera), 4-1
  7. Louisiana Tequila (Gilbert Ortiz), 20-1
  8. Apollitical Tornado (Modesto Pina), 8-1
  9. TF Jess Me (Jorge Garcia), 3-1
  10. Put Me N Coach (Arturo Alvarez), 2-1

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Five other stakes will be run Saturday, including three Louisiana Champions Day stakes previously contested at Fair Grounds Racecourse in New Orleans.

Saturday's 440-yard, $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic (RG2) has attracted 10 runners, topped by morning-line favorite Hezaa Fast Boy. Trained by Jesus Marquez for owner Rogelio Marquez Jr., the 5-year-old Heza Fast Dash gelding will be stretching out in distance off of his neck victory in the 400-yard, $40,000 Opelousas Stakes (RG3) for state-breds at Evangeline Downs on November 5.

Hezaa Fast Boy also won two state-bred stakes during the Delta Downs summer meet, inlcuding the 440-yard, $70,000 Louisiana Classic (RG2) on July 16. The gelding drew post 3 and will be ridden by J.R. Ramirez.

Elsa Mendoza's RM Super Angel, a homebred Super Sonic Patriot filly trained by Mario Trujillo Jr., heads a full field of 10 sophomores entered in Saturday's 400-yard, $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Derby (RG3). RM Super Angel is coming off of a second-place run, 1 1/4 lengths behind Five Bar Miracles, in the October 14, 350-yard Amelia Belle Stakes (R) for state-bred distaffers, and she won two allowance dashes during the Delta Downs meet.

RM Super Angel drew post 4 and will be ridden by Guadalupe Lucio Jr.

Multiple stakes winner San Lorenzo Moon will make her next start in Saturday's 350-yard, $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile Stakes (RG2). The 8-5 morning-line favorite in the field of 10 2-year-olds, the homebred Apollitical Blood filly is trained by Jesus Marquez for owner Rogelio Marquez Jr., and she has won three of her seven starts and has earned $342,357. Her two stakes victories include a neck victory on a muddy and sealed track in the September 3, $525,000 Louisiana QHBA Sale Futurity (RG1) at Delta Downs.

San Lorenzo Moon drew post 6 and will be ridden by J.R. Ramirez.

Nine state-bred 2-year-olds, all of whom competed in the LQHBA Louisiana Million Futurity trials, are entered back in Saturday's 400-yard, $50,000 LQHBA Louisiana Million Invitational Stakes (R).

Trainer Kenneth Roberts will send out Wild Train Fortune, a bay daughter of Freighttrain B owned by Riley Blanchet and Rodney Verret. Wild Train Fortune has earned $29,130 from six races, and her two wins include a head victory in the 350-yard, $30,000 LQHBA Sale Debutante Stakes (R) at Delta Downs on September 3.

Wild Train Fortune drew post 2 and will be ridden by Juan F. Garcia Jr.

Older Louisiana-bred sprinters will be in the spotlight in Saturday's $30,000 Scoopies Leaving You Stakes (R), a 250-yard race which attracted 10 entries.

Patrick Richardson's Sheza Freighttrain T returns to Louisiana after competing at Zia Park in New Mexico, where she ran fourth, a neck behind winner Hesa Party Wagon, in the 350-yard, $75,000 James Isaac Hobbs Stakes (G2) on October 9. The 4-year-old Freighttrain B mare drew post 8 and will be ridden by Ali Rivera for trainer Robi Meche.

All Evangeline Downs races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.
 
Courtesy Ses