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Diego Saenz, Eduardo Ramirez Take Leading Rider, Trainer Titles At Evangeline

Diego Saenz took charge of the jockey standings with a five-win night on the first Friday of the Evangeline Downs meet and never looked back. Finishing off the season with a two-bagger, Saenz finished the season with 116 victories from 403 mounts, a 29 percent winning clip. With 88 runner ups and 58 show placings, Saenz hit the board with 65 percent of his mounts and brought in $1,872,243 in earnings.

Three other riders brought in over one million dollars for their connections with their mounts. Tim Thornton was second behind Saenz with $1,611,046, followed by Pedro Cotto, Jr. with $1,340,315 and Joe Stokes with $1,235,400.

The complete top 10 jockeys for the 2021 meet were: Diego Saenz (116 wins), Tim Thornton (100), Pedro Cotto, Jr. (81), Joe Stokes (66), Roberto Morales (38), Kevin Smith (38), Gerard Melancon (37), Ashley Broussard (34), Casey Fusilier (34) and Antonio Quiles (26).

The long reign of Karl Broberg as the top trainer at Evangeline Downs came to an end on Saturday night. Capping off the season with three victories on the closing night card, Eduardo Ramirez drew off to capture his first training title. Ramirez, a former assistant in the Broberg brigade, saddled 44 winners on the season. Winning at a 31 percent clip, Ramirez finished the season five wins ahead of Broberg. The Ramirez barn tallied $541,682 in purse winnings for the meet. Karl Broberg runners did lead in that category, bringing in $624,546 for the meet.

The complete top 10 in the trainer standings were: Eduardo Ramirez (44 wins), Karl Broberg (39), Juan Larrosa (33), Scott Gelner (30), Allen Landry (26), Keith Bourgeois (23), Sam Breaux (21), Dale White, Sr. (20), Rylee Grudzien (19) and Ron Faucheux (18). Of the trainers in the top ten, Bourgeois runners had the highest strike rates with 34 percent winners and 72 percent on the board from his 68 total starters.

Jimmy Johnson's Red Rose Racing fended off the challenge of End Zone Athletics, Inc. to bring home the title in the owner's race. Red Rose Racing starters won 30 races from 88 starts, while finishing second 10 times and third 10 times, for a 34 percent winning percentage and 57 percent in the money. End Zone Athletics, Inc. was active at the entry box with a meet leading 144 starters that tallied a second-best 28 winners. The End Zone Athletics, Inc. runners led in money won with $434,936 in earnings followed by Joe Alfredo Castillo with $361,925 and Red Rose Racing with $300,307.

The complete top 10 in the owner standing were: Red Rose Racing (30 wins), End Zone Athletics, Inc. (28), Joe Alfredo Castillo (19), Dale White, Sr. (16), Rylee Grudzien (15), Elite Thoroughbred Racing, LLC (12), Adriel Gonzalez (10), Whispering Oaks Farm, LLC (8), and a tie for ninth between George Santis and Sandy Badeaux with 7 wins apiece.

Evangeline Downs will be dark for a couple of weeks. Live racing resumes with the start of the American Quarter Horse meet on Wednesday, October 6. Post time for the 53-day season will be at 5:35pm Central Time.

For more information on Evangeline Downs, visit the track's website at www.evdracing.com. Evangeline Downs information can also be found on Twitter @EVDracing and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EvangelineDownsRacing.

Evangeline Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Evangeline Downs is located in Opelousas, Louisiana, off I-49 on Cresswell Lane at Exit 18.

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Diego Saenz Wins Evangeline Downs Jockey Title

Louisiana's Evangeline Downs wrapped up its 84-night meet Saturday with Diego Saenz taking home the leading jockey title. Saenz won 116 races at the meet from 403 mounts (29%) for earnings of $1,872,243.

Eduardo Ramirez, a former assistant to Karl Broberg, beat his former employer for the training title with 44 wins at the meet, good for 31% and earnings of $541,682. Jimmy Johnson's Red Rose Racing won the owner's race with 30 visits to the winner's circle (34%). Final earnings for the stable were $300,307.

Evangeline Downs kicks off its Quarter Horse meet Wednesday, Oct. 6.

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Feisty Fist Wins D. S. ‘Shine’ Young Futurity At Evangeline Downs

Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, La., wrapped up its 2021 Thoroughbred season on Saturday night with an 11-race program that featured the $60,000 D. S. 'Shine' Young Futurity for colts and geldings and recognition of the top horsemen for the meet.

The D. S. 'Shine' Young was won by Whispering Oaks Farm's Fiesty Fist. The 24-1 longshot was ridden to victory by jockey Kevin Smith, who got a leg up from trainer Steven Flint before the 5-1/2-furlong test for 2-year-olds.

Breaking from post nine in a 10-horse field, Fiesty Fist sat off the early pace of :22.08 for the opening quarter-mile and :45.92 for the half set by True Deal. As the field turned for home, True Deal held a narrow lead while riding the rail as Fiesty Fist and Tambourine Star were closing in during the final furlong. At the wire, Fiesty Fist passed the pacesetter by just a half-length to claim victory while Tambourine Star settled for third, another head behind the runner-up.

The final time for Fiesty Fist was 1:05.39 while racing over a track listed as muddy.

The win by Fiesty Fist was the second of his three-race career. He broke his maiden at first asking on May 20 before finishing sixth in the Louisiana Cup Juvenile at Louisiana Downs on August 21. He earned $36,000 for his win on Saturday while raising his overall bankroll to $50,400.

Bred in Louisiana by Carrol J. Castille, Fiesty Fist is a 2-year-old bay gelding by Iron Fist, out of the Roman Ruler mare Sheza Roman Ruler.

Fans who backed Fiesty Fist at the wagering window were rewarded with payoffs of $51 to win, $27.80 to place, and $15.60 to show. True Deal paid $5.40 to place and $3.60 to show. Tambourine Star was worth $3.20 to show.

During the closing night race card, the leading horsemen for the meet were honored in the winner's circle between races. The meet's leading jockey was Diego Saenz with 117 wins. The leading trainer crown went to Eduardo Ramirez, who scored a training triple on the last night of racing and 44 wins overall for the meet. The leading owner title went to Jimmy Johnson's Red Rose Racing, whose runners were victorious 30 times during the 84-day stand.

Evangeline Downs kicks off the 2021 American Quarter Horse season on Wednesday, October 6. The highlight of the season will take place on December 18 when the track hosts the Louisiana Million Futurity for 2-year-olds. First post time each Wednesday through Saturday night during the season will be at 5:35 pm.

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Gerard Melancon Scores 5,000th Victory At Evangeline Downs

Evangeline Downs fans were treated to a historic evening as jockey Gerard Melancon picked up a milestone victory in the final race on Thursday. Melancon's heavily favored runner, Reposado, led gate-to-wire, as he became the newest member of the 5000-victory club. With countless friends and family in attendance, Melancon was able to celebrate early, even flashing five fingers as he crossed the wire in a 5-3/4 length victory.

The win was made more special as the victor was trained by longtime friend Glen Delahoussaye. Running for owner Charles Carlton, the gelded son of Shackleford, Reposado is out of the Two Punch mare Bronze Abe.

Melancon began his professional riding career at Delta Downs in 1984. His first victory came with his third career mount with Dash and Cash on February 9, 1984. His first victory over the original Evangeline Downs oval was astride Cajun Lawman on April 7 the same year.

A multiple graded stakes winning jockey, he piloted Bonapaw to a Grade 1 winning score in the 2002 Vosburgh at Belmont Park. Melancon claimed two editions of the $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot, first with Saber Cat in 2011 and then with Rise Up in 2013. His most recent graded-stakes score came in 2019 in the Lukas Classic Stakes at Churchill Downs with Mocito Rojo.

The native of Rayne, La. has ridden in over 31,900 races and his mounts have earned nearly $88 million in purse money. He recently passed Ramon Dominguez on the career wins list and the next rider to catch is Alex Solis with 5,035 wins.

He considers the 2004 Super Derby aboard Fantastic Cat his biggest win.

“It was a race I had dreamed about winning, and to do it twenty years into my career was pretty special,” he stated.

Several people have been integral in the storied career of Melancon.

“I have to thank my wife, Annette, for all of her support through the years. Manuel Robin was integral in giving me a chance to get started, and my agent Louis Coco has been a great partner for the past 25 years.”

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