WICKED AS HAGGART A FRONT-RUNNING FORCE IN $75,000 EVD CLASSIC

ACHROMEDOUTCAT AND WHERETHEHITSARE CLAIM STAKE WINS  

OPELOUSAS, LA – Wicked as Haggart sprinted to the front and never looked back in a strong performance to take the $75,000 EVD Classic at Evangeline Downs.  The Saturday card featured a trio of stake races for Louisiana-breds and were contested over a track rated as fast.

Jockey Jansen Melancon and Wicked as Haggart broke strongly and never relented in a sharp effort to take the $75,000 EVD Classic.  The race for 3-year-olds and upward was contested at the one-mile distance.

Breaking quickly from post nine in the short run to the clubhouse turn, Melancon and Wicked as Haggart made their intentions of getting to the front known as they outsprinted Benoit and Letmikefigureitout in the opening furlong.  Covering the opening quarter-mile in 23.75 seconds and a half-mile split in 47.39, Wicked as Haggart was pressed intently by Letmikefigureitout, with Benoit and Good and Stout in pursuit.  

Wicked as Haggart continued to take the heat from Letmikefigureitout as they raced through the turn but continued to hold a length advantage through six furlongs in 1:12.04.  The duo was well clear of the rest, although Cosmic Train did start a mild bid into the stretch.  Wicked as Haggart finally put away Letmikefigureitout and stretched the lead to 4-3/4 lengths in the run to the wire.  Letmikefigureitout was brave in defeat and was 4-1/2 lengths clear of Cosmic Train.  The winner finished the mile in 1:37.67.

Trained by Allen Landry, Wicked as Haggart is a winner for the fourth time from 10 career starts.  He earned $45,000 in the performance and his bankroll increases to $184,850.  Melancon and Landry teamed up for three wins on the card.

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

Wicked as Haggart returned $22 in the victory, $9.80 to place and $6.80 to show.  Letmikefigureitout paid $3.60 and $3.20, with Cosmic Train paying $7.80.

 Acrhromedoutcat tracked the early speed and pounced in the stretch to take the $75,000 King Creole.  The race for 3-year-olds and upward was raced at the distance of 5-1/2 furlongs.

Geaux Sugar, defending champ in the King Creole, broke sharply to take the early lead, but jockey Joel Dominguez and Achromedoutcat were in hot pursuit in the opening stages as the leader cut out an opening quarter-mile in 22.28 seconds.  As the field raced through the turn Achromedoutcat put the pressure on the leader and took a narrow advantage as the field turned into the stretch after a half-mile in 45.44.

Achromedoutcat started to pull away from Geaux Sugar, while El Dinero and Nine Part made mild bids in the stretch.  Achromedoutcat was able to hold sway in the stretch to win by 1-3/4 lengths over a game Geaux Sugar holding on for second, a nose better than El Dinero.  The winning time was 1:04.35.

Trained by Randy Degeyter, Jr. and owned by Darrin Dares, Achromedoutcat is a winner for the fourth time in 18 career starts.  He earned $45,000 in the victory and boosted his career earnings to $135,700.

Bred by Perry Martin and Denise Martin, he is a 5-year-old chestnut gelding sired by Peppered Cat.  He is out of the Bodemeister mare Lilly Reich.

 Achromedoutcat paid a solid $18.60 for the win backers, $8.40 to place and $5 to show.  Geaux Sugar paid $4.20 and $2.80, with El Dinero paying $3.

Wherethehitsare are and jockey Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. found room on the rail and dashed away to take the $75,000 Ragin Cajun.  The race for 3-year-olds was contested over the distance of seven furlongs.

Go Get Trae and Mr Mo Money were away quickest in the Ragin Cajun, while Wherethehitsare was patiently ridden in the long backstretch run and settled in near the back of the group.  The early fractions were solid, with an opening quarter-mile in 22.62 seconds and a half-mile in 45.82.  The field was well-bunched as they moved into the turn with Imma Deal and Mr Mo Money battling, while Drewrelius, Golden Mane and Wherethehits are all plotted their moves.  Turning for home Pedroza, Jr. pointed Wherethehitsare towards the rail and they surged forward to grab the lead inside the furlong marker.

Wherethehitsare started to increase his lead with each stride and finished three lengths ahead of Mr Mo Money.  Golden Mane was another three-quarters of a length back in third with Drewrelius fourth.  The winning time was 1:26.01.

Trained by Albert Stall, Jr., Wherethehitsare is a winner for the second time from five career starts.  He earns $45,000 in his first stake victory and his earnings now stand at $109,340.

Owned and bred by Stewart Madison, Wherethehitsare is a dark bay or brown gelding sired by Mitole.  He is out of the Twirling Candy mare Seaside Candy.

Wherethehitsare, sent off as the prohibitive 1/5 favorite, paid $2.60 to win, $2.10 to place and $2.10 to show.  Mr Mo Money paid $2.60 and $2.20, with Golden Mane paying $2.40.

Live racing resumes on Thursday with a 5:30pm first post.  The schedule will be Thursday through Saturday until the end of August. The Evangeline Downs Thoroughbred season runs until September 7.

For more information on Evangeline Downs visit the track’s website at https://evangelinedowns.boydgaming.com/racing.