Queen Washita Rules The $257,650 Evangeline Downs Futurity

OPELOUSAS, LA—DECEMBER 19, 2015—Jorge Aguilera’s Queen Washita was the fastest qualifier for the $257,650 Evangeline Downs Futurity in the trials run on November 27. The filly backed that trial performance up with a one-length victory in the final on Saturday night. She defeated Catching Fire Corona with Dash Don’t Cheat a further half-length behind in third.

Queen Washita broke very well and was in contention right from the start, taking the lead early on and coasting to victory under the ride of Manuel Guiterrez. The Adrian Huitron trainee finished the 400 yards on a fast track in a time of 19.930 seconds, which was a speed index of 90. It was the third victory in eight lifetime starts for the filly. She earned $128,825 for the win, boosting her lifetime earnings to $142,780.

Queen Washita is a 2-year-old filly bred in Oklahoma by Andrew T. Smith. She is by Inseperable out of the Jess Louisiana Blue mare, Queens Magnolia.

The lightly raced Catching Fire Corona picked up $43,801 for his second place effort. Leading trainer Robert Touchet conditions the Fire And Corona gelding for owner/breeder Hector Salinas, Jr. Out of the Special Leader mare Oh Special Bay, Catching Fire Corona has compiled a (4) 2-1-0 record and earned $58,896 this season. He broke his maiden in first start at Gillespie Fairground last summer and won a Speed Index Final race in his previous starts before coming to Evangeline.

Pete Scarmardo's homebred Dash Dont Cheat finished third under jockey Francisco Calderon. Saddled by trainer Larry Kopycinski, the super consistent Down N Dash gelding was making his third futurity appearance this season. Prior to winning his EVD Futurity trial he was sixth in the $448,515 Dash For Cash Derby(G3) at Lone Star Park.

Scarmardo bred Dash Don’t Cheat in Texas from the Jess Special mare Special Cheat. He picked up $25,767 to bring his earnings total to $82,224.

Chart information from Equibase had not been published following the race so the remaining order of finish will be posted when it becomes available.

The wagering public sent Queen Washita off as the 5-2 betting favorite and she paid $7.40 to win, $4.60 to place and $3.20 to show. Catching Fire Corona paid $4.80 to place and $3.00 to show. Dash Don’t Cheat returned $2.80 to show.

The Evangeline Downs Futurity was also noteworthy because it was the final race in the saddle for the all-time leading Quarter Horse jockey, G.R. Carter, Jr. Carter was aboard the fifth-place finisher The Valiant Prince in the Futurity. He won more than 3,800 races in his Quarter Horse riding career and his mounts earned over $70,000,000 in purses. He cited his two All-American Futurity wins (in 1998 aboard Falling In Loveagain and in 2008 aboard Stolis Winner) as highlights and plans to get more involved in his oil pipeline business in the future.

Saturday was the final night of the 2015 American Quarter Horse season at Evangeline Downs. Live racing will resume on April 6, 2016 with the return of Thoroughbred racing, which will run for 84 nights through August 27.