Racing


Stone Cold Leader Rallies In Evangeline Downs Derby Win
Stone Cold Leader, under jockey Rolando Pina, wins the $160,010 Evangeline Downs Derby on Saturday.

© Coady Photography
Stone Cold Leader Rallies In Evangeline Downs Derby Win

OPELOUSAS, LA—DECEMBER 15, 2018—Stone Cold Leader rallied after starting last in the field of nine to win the $160,010 Evangeline Downs Derby on Saturday's action-packed heavy stakes card at Evangeline Downs.

Stone Cold Leader got by the betting favorite, Jess Adalida, in the final strides to score the victory in a final time of :19.458 seconds over the fast track, equaling a speed index of 104.

The Brookstone Bay gelding was bred in Indiana by Mark Michel. Owned by Patrick Richardson and trained by Joe M. Davis, Stone Cold Leader was ridden by Rolando Pina.

The winning connections of Stone Cold Leader accept the Evangeline Downs Derby stakes trophy on Saturday night.
© Coady Photography
He is out of the Leader Of The Class mare, Sheza Classy Leader. It is the ninth win from 18 career starts for Stone Cold Leader and the $80,005 first-place purse increases his lifetime earnings to $426,333. He also won the Firecracker Derby at Delta and finished second in the Dash Cash Derby(G3) at Lone Star Park in 2018.

Jess Adalida, a California-bred daughter of multiple stakes sire Jess Louisiana Blue earned $27,202 for second. The multiple stakes winning filly races for owner Ruben Garcia Montemayor and is conditioned by trainer Josue Ponce. Manuel Gutierrez had the riding assignment aboard the Double Bar S Ranch LLC filly out of Wortherweightingold by First Down Dash. She has earned $124,594.

Graded stakes winner Three Bar Cartel finished a neck off his stablemate to get third. Last year's Dash For Cash Futurity(G2) winner is also owned by Montemayor and trained by Ponce. Jesse Levaro had the riding call aboard the Capo de Capi gelding out of Eyesa Ridicolus To by Mr Eye Opener. Bred in Oklahoma by Dr. Curtis Smith, Three Bar Cartel picked up $16,001 to bring his earnings mark to $277,910.

Racanteur, Ls Concho, Sr Shambles, The Red Rocket, Zathuras Patriot, Wrs Quick Jess and Pycs Crock Of Cash completed the field.

Live racing at Evangeline Downs will resume on Monday afternoon with a nine-race program. Post time on Monday will be 3:15 pm Central Time.

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For more information on the American Quarter Horse season at Evangeline Downs, visit the track's website at 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 & Hotel is owned by Boyd Gaming Corporation, a leading diversified owner and operator of 22 gaming entertainment properties located in Nevada, New Jersey, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Boyd Gaming press releases are available at www.prnewswire.com. Additional news and information can be found at www.boydgaming.com, or evangelinedowns.com.