Swamp Eagle Up In Final Jump To Upset In The $20,000 Evangeline Downs Dash

Swamp Eagle (#6) gets up over post time favorite Ss Classyjess (#4) to win the $20,000 EVD Dash Stakes on Saturday at Evangeline Downs.

© Coady Photography

OPELOUSAS, LA—OCTOBER 8, 2022—An energetic Family Night crowd was on hand to watch Swamp Eagle get up in the final jump to win the $20,000 Evangeline Downs Dash.  The stakes for three-year-olds and upward was contested over a fast track at the 220-yard distance.

Favored SS ClassyJess was away quickest of all, with Swamp Eagle, A Political Toast and Mr Teco also getting clean starts.  SS Classyjess was just clear inside the final 50 yards, but Swamp Eagle and jockey Alejandro Ochoa made a final surge to win by a nose in a photo finish.

Swamp Eagle, trained by Joel Huitron, completed the distance in a time of 11.638 seconds, with SS ClassyJess in second and Mr Teco another three-quarters of a length back in third.  The winner earned a speed index of 104 with the effort.

The winning connections of Swamp Eagle accept the EVD Dash Stakes trophy Saturday at Evangeline Downs.
© Coady Photography

Swamp Eagle earned $12,000 for the victory, his fifth win from 25 career starts for owner Fausto G. Mendoza.  The winner’s share of the purse pushed the gelding’s lifetime earnings to $128,356.

Swamp Eagle was bred in Louisiana by David Dunn.  The sorrel 5-year-old was sired by Heza Fast Dash and is out of the One Famous Eagle mare Gee Whit.

Multiple graded stakes winner Ss Classyjess races for owner Edgar Rosales and is trained by Jose Carrizales. Ricardo Hernandez, Jr. had the riding call aboard the 6-year-old daughter of Rock Solid Jess from the Royal Shake Em mare High Class Broad. The $3,600 second-place EVD Dash payday boosted the gray mare's earnings to $508,724. Ronnie Steward and Double S Farm is the breeder.

Jose Ovideo's homebred Mr Teco finished three-quarters back to earn $2,000 for third. Eduardo Morales trains the 3-year-old son of multiple stakes sire Man Who Woul be King.  The Texas-bred out of My Cold Corona by Behold A Corona has earned $44,426.  Leonardo Rodriguez was riding.

Swamp Eagle paid $40.80 to win in the upset, $13.20 to place and $9.20 to show.  Favored SS ClassyJess returned $3.80 to place and $2.80 to show.  Mr Teco paid $7.40 to show.

Dynastys Five Bar, Lrh Heart Of Glass, Denalia Sweet Jess, A Political Toast, MP Sixty Silky, Shesa Knockoutcartel and Qid Pro Quo completed the field.

Live racing resumes on Wednesday with a 5:35pm first post.  The Evangeline Downs Quarter Horse season runs through December 20.  

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For more information on the American Quarter Horse season at Evangeline Downs, visit the track's website 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 and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Evangeline Downs is located in Opelousas, Louisiana, off I-49 on Cresswell Lane at Exit 18.