Racing


Queen Washita Sets Top Mark in Evangeline's EVD Futurity Trials
Queen Washita, under jockey Manuel Gutierrez, setting the fastest qualifying time from nine trials Friday night at Evangeline Downs.

© Coady Photography
Queen Washita Sets Top Mark in Evangeline's EVD Futurity Trials

OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 27, 2015—Coming off a troubled third place effort in the Dash For Cash Juvenile at Lone Star Park, Queen Washita dominated nine trials for the EVD Futurity at Evangeline Downs Friday Night.

The 10 fastest 2-year-olds from tonight's trial races will return to Evangeline Downs on closing night, Saturday December 14th, and vie for the winner's share of the $100,000-added purse going 400 yards.

Ridden by Manuel Gutierrez, Queen Washita broke on top then rolled to a 2¼-length victory in :19.959 seconds, a 90 speed index into a 5 mph headwind, to secure the top qualifying spot.

Making her first start for owner Jorge Aguilera, Queen Washita was previous owned by her breeder Andrew T. Smith. Smith bred the daughter of champion Inseperable in Oklahoma from the Jess Louisiana Blue mare Queens Magnolia.

Conditioned by Adrian Huitron, the stakes-placed filly has compiled a (7) 2-0-2 record this season while earning $13,955.

Pete Scarmardo's homebred Dash Dont Cheat was a two-length winner in the 8th trial to get the second fastest time of :19.985 seconds. The Down N Dash gelding came into the trials off a sixth place effort in the Grade 1 $ 448,515 Dash For Cash Futurity October 10th at Lone Star Park.

Larry Kopycinski trains the Texas-bred from the Jess Special mare Special Cheat. The winner of four of eight starts has earned $55,784 this year. Francisco Calderon was up.

Another two-length trial winner was the lightly raced The Valiant Prince, breaking his maiden in his third career start. Trainer Cindi Keeton saddled the royally bred Valiant Hero colt that previously posted two off-the-board trial performances at Ruidoso Downs last summer.

Valeriano Racing Stables LLC owns the bay gelding out of multiple graded stakes winner Sassy Smith, by Corona Cartel. G.R. Carter, Jr. was aboard the Juliana Hawn Holt California-bred.

Inseperable was the only stallion with multiple qualifiers also getting Setyoursiteshigh winner of the 6th trial getting the 6th qualifying spot.

Each of the Evangeline Downs Futurity trials offered a purse of $5,000.

For the complete list of EVD Futurity finalists, times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.

Live racing will resume at Evangeline Downs with a 10-race program on Saturday night, including the $1,000,000 LQHBA Breeders Futurity, the $267,171 LQHBA Breeders Derby and three trials for the $75,000-added EVD Derby. Post time on Saturday night is 5:35 pm Central time.

For more information on the American Quarter Horse season at Evangeline Downs, visit the track’s website at www.evdracing.com.