Evangeline Down’s 46-night season concluded with Million card on December 20 and year end meet leaders.

© Hodges Photography

By Rob Tuel, Evangeline Downs

OPELOUSAS, LA—DECEMBER 22, 2025–Pedro Chavarria Espinosa led a competitive and balanced jockey colony in capturing his first riding title at the recently concluded Evangeline Downs Quarter Horse meet.  Nine jockeys notched 20 or more wins during the 46-night season.  Chavarria Espinosa teamed up with leading trainer Jose Espinosa for 15 of his 32 wins, finished second 27 times and added 26 thirds to hit the board with 45% of his 189 mounts.

Jorge Javier Garcia teamed up with Rf Fast Dash N Blood to take the LQHBA Louisiana Million to bolster his earnings to a meet-topping $759,220.  Leonardo Rodriguez and Pedro Chavarria Espinosa also eclipsed the half-million mark with earnings of $550,471 and $509,673 respectively.  Noe Castaneda found the winner’s circle with 19% of his rides to lead the way among riders in the top 10.

The complete top 10 jockeys for the 2025 season were:  Pedro Chavarria Espinosa (32 wins), Noe Castaneda (28), Leonardo Rodriguez (27), Juan Francisco Garcia, Jr. (24), Humberto Vital (23), Bobby Ransom (23), Jorge Javier Garcia (22), Ubaldo Luna (21), Rene Hernandez (20), and Randy Edison Jr. rounded out the top riders with 18 trips to the winner’s circle.

Espinosa was the leader in the trainer standings with 15 winners from his 88 starters for a win rate of 17%.  He added nine seconds and 15 thirds to see 44% of his runners hit the board.  Ismael Solis-Guevera was tops among the leading trainers with a 28% win rate.  Josue Ponce, trainer of superstar Rf Fast Dash N Blood, had a meet-leading $526,875 in earnings.  Luis Martinez, Jr. was second in earnings with $500,505 from his 129 starters, which was the most from the backside.

The complete top 10 in the trainer standings:  Jose Espinosa (15 wins), Larry Keith (13),  Luis Martinez, Jr. (12), Ismael Solis-Guevera (11), Patrick Clemons (10), Trey Ellis (10), Kenneth Roberts, Sr. (9), Dustin Rhodes (9) and six-way tie for ninth between Alex Clark, Juan Garcia, Francisco Campos, Sr., Emily Jeane, Barbara Alcantara and Martin Trejo with 8 wins apiece.

Rogelio Marquez, Jr. had a winner with San Lorenzo Chrome in the LQHBA Breeders Derby on the final night to take the owner’s title.  With a meet-leading 45 runners making the starting gate, Marquez, Jr.’s runners won eight times, and added 12 seconds and four show finishes to win at a rate of 18% and hit the board in 53% of the efforts. 

Francisco Javier Garza saw six of his nine runners win for an extraordinary 67% strike rate.  The Million triumph helped Jamie Cardenas lead the way with $526,725 in earnings, while Marquez, Jr. runners tallied the second-most with $301,855.

The complete top 10 in the owner standings were:  Rogelio Marquez, Jr. (8 wins), Jesus Molina (7), Cuadra Santa Cruz, LLC (Emeterio Mendez) (6), Francisco Javier Garza (6), Fausto Mendoza (5), Jaime Cardenas (5), Rancho 424 Racing Stable (Maria Solis) (5), and a six-way tie for eighth between Barraza Brothers and Sons Racing LLC (Laura Loya-Carillo), Leobersi Perez, Blackmon Quarter Horses LLC (Kimberly Blackmon and Jerry Blackmon), Party Tyme Racing (Jerry Deville & Jose Espinosa), Jose Martin Pargas and Juan Montoya, Sr. with 4 wins each.

San Lorenzo Chrome became the first winner in recent memory to pull off the Million-Derby double with his win Saturday night.  Tempted Grace won all three of her starts at the meet, including a sharp score in the EVD Derby.

Evangeline Downs will be dark for a few weeks.  The 2026 thoroughbred season is tentatively scheduled to kick off on April 3.

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

Evangeline Downs information can also be found on Twitter @EVDracing and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EvangelineDownsRacing. 

About Evangeline Downs Racetrack& Casino
Encompassing over 750 acres, Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation, features over 39,000 square feet of casino space as well a racetrack that boasts state-of-the-art facilities with a 7/8-mile turf track and a one mile main track. The casino includes over 1,000 slot and video poker machines, two dining options, and plenty of meeting space including track-side private club suites. Evangeline Downs also includes a newly opened FanDuel Sportsbook. For more information, visit www.evangelinedowns.com and connect on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Founded in 1975, Boyd Gaming Corporation is a leading geographically diversified operator of 28 gaming entertainment properties in 10 states, and manager of a tribal casino in northern California. The Company is also a strategic partner and 5% equity owner of FanDuel Group, the nation's leading sports-betting operator.

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