EL DINERO POWERS FORWARD LATE ON LEGENDS NIGHT AT EVANGELINE DOWNS

THORNTON, HERNANDEZ AND MELANCON RIDE MULTIPLE STAKE WINNERS

OPELOUSAS, LA – Evangeline Downs hosted the annual celebration of Louisiana-bred thoroughbreds with a 10-race Louisiana Legends Night card on Saturday.  The slate featured six stake races each worth $100,000 for state-bred runners and a pair of 2-year-old races for potential future stars.  The races were all contested over a fast main track, as heavy rains throughout the week forced the races off the turf.

Evangeline Downs honored Louisiana Legends throughout the evening.  Jockeys Kerwin “Boo Boo” Clark, Abe Hawkins and Eric Guerin, trainer Dale Angelle and breeders John Franks and Joe Adcock were this year’s honorees.

El Dinero and jockey Colby Hernandez surged forward in the final yards to capture a thrilling edition of the Legends Sprint.  The Sprint, for 3-year-olds and upward at 5-1/2 furlongs, was the final race on a card that featured many fantastic performances.

Ragtime Wine and Tiz Mary’s Comet were away sharply in the Sprint and were joined by Clear as a Bele as they raced into the turn.  El Dinero and Hernandez were away in good order and settled nicely behind the early leaders.  As they moved through an opening quarter-mile in 22.39 seconds and approached a half-mile in 45.34, Clear as a Bele moved on the attack outside of Ragtime Wine, while El Dinero moved into contention at the top of the stretch.

Inside the final furlong Clear as a Bele gained a narrow advantage over a game Ragtime Wine but could not hold off the closing surge from El Dinero. El Dinero was able to collar Clear as a Bele in the final jumps and won by a neck, with Ragtime Wine a half-length back in third.  The final time for the Sprint was 1:04.06.

Owned by TAV Enterprises, LLC (John Tavormina and Leslie Rohrer), El Dinero is a winner for the eighth time in 29 career starts.  The $60,000 winning share increases his career earnings to $620,640.

Trained by Patrick Devereux, Jr., the 5-year-old dark bay or brown gelding was sired by El Deal and is out of the Forestry mare Money for Makeup.  He was bred by the team of J. Adcock and Hume Wornall.  Devereux, Jr. and Hernandez teamed up for two stake winners on the card.

El Dinero paid a healthy $36.40 to win, $14.80 to place and $3.80 to show.  Clear as a Bele returned $7.80 and $2.60, with the previously undefeated Ragtime Wine paying $2.10.

Six String and jockey Tim Thornton used a sharp start to gain an early advantage and just held off the onrushing Synthetic to capture the Mademoiselle.  The race for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and upward was raced over the distance of 5-1/2 furlongs.

Six String was away best and quickly gained a length advantage over Luyv and Synthetic in the first furlong, while Sassi Strutter was pinched back and lost some valuable early ground.  Six String sped through an opening quarter-mile in 22.22 seconds and held the advantage as Synthethic moved up the rail and Sassi Strutter produced a menacing mid-race move to get into contention after a half-mile in 45.26 seconds.

As the field turned for home, Six String dug in gamely to fight off the first bid from Sassi Strutter, while Synthetic tipped out into the center of the track for a final try.  Six String was unwavering as she reached for the wire and just held off the last-stride lunge from Synthetic to win by a nose.  Sassi Strutter was a length back in third.  The winner stopped the clock in a time of 1:03.26.

Trained by Allen Landry, who had a pair of stakes wins on a three-win night, Six String is a winner for the 12th time in 28 starts.  She earned $60,000 in the victory and increased her career earnings to $622,910. 

Owned and bred by the partnership of World War IV Racing (Warren Mcfatter and John Christmann) and Rebel Tide Racing, LLC (David Walker and Randi Cimorelli), Six String is a 5-year-old chestnut mare sired by Star Guitar.  She is out of the Harlan’s Holiday mare Oh Whata Holiday.

Six String returned $11.20 to win, $3 to place and $2.10 to show.  Synthetic, defeated as the 1/5 favorite, paid $2.10 and $2.10, with Sassi Strutter paying $2.10.

Creole Chrome ($2.10) returned to Louisiana to face state-breds after a brief Derby trail bid and crushed a field in the Cheval, winning by 18 lengths.  The race for 3-year-olds was contested at the distance of one mile.

Ridden by Tim Thornton and trained by Joe Sharp, he is owned by Three Diamonds Farm (Kirk Wycoff).  The chestnut colt was bred by Gulf Haven Farms, LLC was sired by Volatile.  He is out of the Malibu Moon mare Funny Moon.

Kalil ($6) led almost gate to wire under jockey Tim Thornton to take the Turf Distaff.  The race for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward was raced at the distance of one mile.

One of three stake victories for Thornton, Kalil is trained by Jeff Delhomme.  Owned by Set- Hut LLC (Jake Delhomme), Kalil is a 4-year-old bay filly sired by Practical Joke.  She is out of the Smart Strike mare Hatpin and was bred by Scott & Company Farm, LLC.

Midnight Passion ($3.20) overcame some major pre-race antics, including breaking through the gate, to take the Soiree.  The race for 3-year-old fillies was contested over one mile.

Trained by Patrick Devereux, Jr. and ridden by Colby Hernandez, Midnight Passion captured her third stake race of the season.  She was victorious in the Acadiana and Cajun Miss earlier in the meet.  Owned and bred by Coteau Grove Farms, LLC (Keith and Ginger Myers) she is a grey/roan sired by Quality Road.  She is out of the Midnight Lute mare Midnight Fantasy.

Wicked as Haggart ($2.80) was in complete control from the outset under jockey Jansen Melancon in a convincing score in the Legends Turf.  The race for 3-year-olds and upward was contested at the distance of a mile and a sixteenth.  Trained by Allen Landry, Wicked as Haggart is a two-time stakes winner at the meet.

Owned and bred by Autumn Hill Farms Racing Stables, Inc. (Robert Guidry), Wicked as Haggart was sired by Bobby’s Wicked One.  The 4-year-old chestnut gelding is out of the Super Saver mare Simply Sweet.

Passion Strike ($11) and Golfito ($8.40) stamped themselves as runners to watch with impressive wins in the 2-year-old races on the card.