News - Headlines March  29, 2024

San Lorenzeaux Dazzles In Setting Fastest Time In LQHBA Sales Futurity Trial


San Lorenzeaux won the fifth of 10 trials by 3-¾ lengths to post the fastest qualifying time.

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OPELOUSAS, LA—OCTOBER 86, 2021—Lee Berwick Futurity(RG1) 1-2 finishers Blood Money and San Lorenzeaux both posted impressive wins off their layoff in the Friday's $382,415 LQHBA Sale Futurity(RG1) trials at Evangeline Downs.

The 10 fastest qualifiers, from 10 trial races contested for state-bred 2-year-olds who passed through the 2020 LQHBA Yearling Sale, will return to Evangeline Downs on Saturday, October 30th to vie for the $172,086 winner's share of the purse.

Tonight it was San Lorenzeaux, under jockey Raul Ramirez, Jr., who got the fastest time after an impressive 3-¾ length win in the fifth trial for Rogelio Marquez, Jr.

"We've always known he was a super fast horse," said Marquez. "Joe Garza broke him for us and called us and told us he was a special one. We are very fortunate that he is also very easy to train and has a very good mentality. He came out of the Lee Berwick final in good shape and is a very sound horse."

Hector Alcala trains the $29,000 LQHBA Sale graduate by Grade 1 sire Carters Cartel. The bay gelding was clocked in :17.333 seconds, equaling a 101 speed index for 350 yards, for the top qualifying mark.

Bred by Kenneth Garcia, from the Mr Jess Perry mare Scoopie Coochie, San Lorenzeaux has compiled a (4) 2-1-0 record and banked $153,726 this year. The gelding just missed in the restricted Grade 1 $826,620 Lee Berwick Futurity getting rundown at the wire by Blood Money.

Blood Money got his fifth win in as many starts in the sixth trial, posting a three-quarter length win under jockey Everardo Rodriguez. The multiple graded stakes winning son of leading third-crop sire Apollitical Blood post the second fastest time of :17.593 seconds, a 93 speed index.

A $17,000 LQHBA Sale graduate, Blood Money races for owner Rojas Racing Stables, LLC and is conditioned by trainer Rosendo Valdez, Jr. Bred by Spring Hill Farms LLC, from the Shazoom mare Zoom To The Money, Blood Money has earned $607,131 with wins in the Lee Berwick Futurity(RG1) and Laddie Futurity(RG2).

"We school him in the gate on the farm and he loads without any issues, but on the racetrack, he always balks," said Valdez. "He's a funny horse; sometimes when he gallops or walks to the paddock, he will just stop. But once he gets going, he is always amazing. It's a blessing for us to have this horse."

Spring Hill Farms, LLC bred three of the 10 finalists to the LQHBA Sale Futurity(RG1), including 5th fastest San Lorenzito and 6th fastest Ms Diamond Cartel.

Trainers Hector Alcala and Wendy Garcia saddled two qualifiers each.

Apollitical Blood was the leading sale futurity sire with three finalists and Jet Black Patriot and Carters Cartel had two each.

CLICK HERE for a complete list of LQHBA Sale Futurity(RG1) qualifiers with times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys.

Additional reporting from Martha Claussen.

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Evangeline Downs will close out the opening week of the season on Saturday with a 5:35 pm first post (CDT). The $35,000 Mid City Stakes (RG3) (see related story) is the featured event on the card. The Evangeline Downs Quarter Horse season runs through December 30.

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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 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.


Courtesy Ses