Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino to open 2011 season on Wednesday

Opelousas, LA - April 4, 2010 –Thoroughbred racing with a Cajun accent and a beefed up Stakes program returns to South-Central Louisiana for the 46th consecutive year as Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino kicks off the 2011 89-night spring/summer season on Wednesday, April 6. Known nationwide as the “Home of the biggest fields”, Evangeline Downs has averaged slightly more than 10 runners per race over the past four spring/summer thoroughbred racing seasons, a distinction that only the Opelousas, La. oval can claim. If early entries are an indication, the 2011 season should see similar if not higher totals as over the first three nights of racing a total of 354 runners have been entered in the 31 races including 129 on the eleven-race program for Friday, April 8.

Highlighting the lucrative stakes schedule is Louisiana Showcase Night, a stakes-only program restricted to horses bred in Louisiana featuring six races worth a minimum of $100,000 and totaling 10 events worth almost $1 million. Other marquee events during the season will include the Evangeline Mile and the Lafayette Stakes. The “Mile”, the premier event for older horses, will offer a purse of $125,000, up $25,000 from 2010 and be run on August 13, while the Lafayette Stakes for Two-year-olds will be contested on its usual spot, Labor Day, September 5. The Lafayette this year will be run on the Turf course for the first time and at the distance of one mile.

In addition to the surface and distance change, the Lafayette Stakes will feature a $100,000 purse, an increase of $50,000 from last year. All told, more than $1.8 million will be distributed over the 25 black-type events offered in addition to overnight purses of approximately $170,000 a night, the same level offered in 2010.

Keith Bourgeois, the leading trainer every season here at the new location including last year in which he averaged a win a night over the 89-night season en route to setting a single season earnings record of $1.25 million, will be hard pressed to retain his crown as he will miss the opening month of the season while completing a suspension from the La. Racing Commission. While he is on the sidelines his longtime assistant Alex K. Dunn is at the helm. Sam Breaux, runner-up to Bourgeois the last four years, along with Tony Richey and Karl Broberg, who both are coming off exceptional 2010 seasons, along with veterans Victor Arceneaux, Corale Richards, and Edward Johnston each have a large stable and figure to contend for the title.

The Jockey’s room will also feature an impressive lineup. Shane Sellers, winner of more than 4,200 races and purses of almost $130 million in a career that started right here at Evangeline Downs is scheduled to ride the entire meet here after riding at Delaware Park and the Fairgrounds in 2010. The native of Erath, La. who has been well traveled throughout his near 30-years in the saddle will be represented by agent Wes Landry. John Jacinto and Diego Saenz, the respective leading riders at Evangeline Downs the last two years, along with Gerard Melancon, Tracy Hebert, and Kirk Leblanc, who have each recorded more than 3,000 career victories and are also former leading riders here, add depth and talent to a very competitive riding colony.

Other talented riders who are expected to ride the opening stages of the meet include Eddie Martin Jr., Richard Eramia, Colby Hernandez, and the rapidly improving Jansen Melancon, the 22-year-old son of Gerard Melancon who finished 4th behind Tracy Hebert in the leading rider standings at the recently concluded Delta Downs meet are just a few of the others who are slated to ride nightly during the first part of the season.

Director of Racing Operations Steve Darbonne stated “We are ready for our 46th season. Everyone is optimistic that we will have another strong season, we had a much milder winter weather wise than last year and consequently our Turf Course is in much better shape and will be in use starting on week two. In addition, we have made several upgrades to our facility including our new Hotel which opened last fall along.” Darbonne added “We continue to attract a solid group of horses and horsemen with our strong overnight and stakes schedules. Both the backstretch and the nearby training center are at near capacity and the morning workout lists are very long and we hope to once again offer our fans the full fields and exciting brand of racing they have come to expect from Evangeline Downs.”

This year’s meet will once again run through the traditional closing night, Monday, September 5, Labor Day, with racing conducted Wednesday through Saturday.

Post time will be 5:40 p.m. Central on all nights with the lone exception being a 3:05 p.m. start on the Labor Day program.

For more information contact Evangeline Downs at 337-594-3000.