OPELOUSAS, LA—SEPTEMBER 29, 2015—The 2015 American Quarter Horse season begins at Evangeline Downs on Wednesday, September 30. It is the first of 46 live racing nights to come this season with racing to be conducted on a Wednesday through Saturday schedule through closing night, Saturday, December 19. Post time for each live racing night will be 5:35 pm Central Time.

The opening week of action will feature stakes racing on both Friday and Saturday nights. The Friday feature race is the $20,000 Evangeline Downs Dash for three-year-olds and up at 220 yards. The 3-1 morning line favorite is the Kevin Broussard trainee, Scoopies Leaving You, who won the $38,000 Gentilly Dash Stakes at Fair Grounds on August 22. Saturday’s feature race is the $35,000 Amelia Belle Stakes for Louisiana-bred three-year-olds and up at a distance of 350 yards. The 9-5 morning line favorite is the Martin Trejo-trained entry of Scooter Prize and First Prize Copy. Scooter Prize is coming into this race off a victory at Fair Grounds in the $50,000 Mid-City Stakes on August 29.

There will be some notable events on the calendar at Evangeline Downs this season, including the $1,000,000 LQHBA Breeders’ Futurity (RG1) for two-year-old Louisiana-breds and the $150,000-added LQHBA Breeders’ Derby for three-year-old Louisiana-breds to be run on Saturday, November 28. Trials for the Futurity will take place on Friday, November 6 and trials for the Derby will be run on Saturday, November 7. The $100,000-added Evangeline Downs Futurity for two-year-olds and the $75,000-added Evangeline Downs Derby for three-year-olds will highlight the closing day program on Saturday, December 19. Trials for the Evangeline Downs Futurity will be Friday, November 27 and trials for the Evangeline Downs Derby will be Saturday, November 28.

Evangeline Downs will be welcoming back the leaders from the 2014 season for the 2015 campaign. Rider John Hamilton won the 2014 jockey title with 60 wins from 266 starts and purse earnings totaling $825,175. Trainer Kenneth Roberts, Sr. took home the training championship with 35 victories from 143 starts and purse earnings of $612,919. There was a tie for the owner title in 2014 between Geral Dewitt and Joan Rood, who each claimed eight victories. Dewitt earned $95,610 in purses, while Rood took home $72,620 in purse money.

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