Fastest Qualifier Flyin Chilitos Looks for His Fifth Career Victory in the $321,365 EVD Futurity-G2
By BY MARTHA CLAUSSEN
OPELOUSAS, LA–DECEMBER 18, 2024–The second-richest stakes on the final night of the Evangeline Downs program is the $321,365 EVD Futurity. Eleven trials at the distance of 400 yards were completed on November 24 with Flyin Chilitos in command in his trial victory for owner Omar Paredes.
With David Alvarez in the irons, the son of Chilitos won the first trial of the evening by a margin of 1 ¼ lengths in :19.769 seconds, a speed index of 93. The victory was his fourth in ten starts, increasing his lifetime earnings to $80,289. Claudia Miranda bred the double-registered AQHA/APHA gelding out of the Louisiana Senator mare Sensational Senator.
Prior to his EVD Futurity trial, the bay gelding triumphed in the $106,907 Texas Hero Futurity(G1) at Lone Star Park on November 11. Trained by Leonel Hernandez, Flyin Chilitos drew post position two at odds of 9-2.
Morning-line favoritism goes to Heavy Hitters Racing Stables’ Kiss My Maruska, who has already topped the half-million dollar mark in his exceptional 2-year-old campaign. Bred in Texas by Tyler and Naia Graham, the son of 2014 AQHA Champion Kiss My Hocks out of the Favorite Cartel mare Ms Highmaitenance, ran third in the $1.1 million Heritage Place Futurity at Remington Park and won the $606,000 LQHBA Sale Futurity(RG1) at Retama Park as well as the $433,000 Dash For Cash Futurity(G2) at Lone Star Park in October. Victor Urieta, Jr. will ride for trainer Juan Diaz, Jr.
Diaz, who resides in Floresville, Texas, is the second-leading trainer in national Quarter Horse standings and will also saddle Seis Chilitos for owner Jaime Cardenas. The gray daughter of Chiltos out of Seis Passes (Tres Seis) was bred in Texas by Richard Arizpe. Nestor Duran will pilot the six-time winner, who captured the $69,000 Sam Houston Juvenile in June.
Ozaca Ranch LLS’s Kempton also merits serious attention based on his victory in the Heritage Place Futurity(G1) on June 1 at Remington Place. Also bred by the Grahams, the Kiss My Hocks colt will be ridden by James Flores for trainer James J. Gonzales, III,
The EVD Futurity will run as the tenth race on the card, with an approximate post time of 8:40 pm.
Trainer Zackary Stinebaugh to Saddle Three in the $103,390 EVD Derby
Four trials were run on November 23 for the $103,390 EVD Derby and it was a very successful showing for young trainer Zackary Stinebaugh who will saddle three finalists in the 400-yard final on Saturday, December 21.
Shiny Nova rolled to a 1-1/4 length in the second trial, crossing the wire in :19.796 seconds, earning a 96-speed index under jockey Ali Rivera. J. P. Sample bred the son of Racy Casanova, who was a standout in his Idaho races, winning both the Bitterroot Futurity and Bitterroot Derby before testing the waters in Texas.
He won his Dash For Cash Derby(G2) trial, finishing seventh in the final. His EVD Derby trial victory marked his eighth career win in 14 starts. Rivera has the return call aboard the sorrel gelding, who will break from post position four and the 2-1 favorite.
The second-fastest qualifying time was set by Apollitical Ike, a Texas-bred son of Apolittical Blood who drew off to win by 1 ¼ lengths in :19.881 with H. Javier Hernandez in the saddle.
Owned by Rigoberto Aguilar, the bay gelding has won five of his 14 career efforts, posting a second-place finish in the Gillespie County Fair Derby on August 25.
With Rivera opting to ride Shiny Nova in the final, Stinebaugh tapped Oscar Andrade, Jr. to pilot Pete Scarnardo’s homebred Ladys Gotta Jet, who qualified in :19.805 seconds and Juan Garcia, Jr. for Jess a Salty Candy (:20.178). The gelded son of All American Futurity winner Jess Good Candy is owned by Stacy Barr and Carol A. Addison.
The EVD Derby will run as the fifth race on the program. All Evangeline Downs races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.