Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeder Association

News - Preview April 29, 2024

Eight Evangeline Downs Futurity Trials Set for Friday

All American Futurity(G1) finalist Corner Pocket 123 will head 66 juveniles in Friday's Evangeline Downs Futurity (G2) trials at Evangeline Downs.

© Ernesto Salinas, Jr. / StallioneSearch

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

OPELOUSAS, LA–NOVEMBER 13, 2023–Sixty-four 2-year-olds, led by JJ Racing's Corner Pocket 123, are entered in Friday's 400-yard Evangeline Downs Futurity (G2) trials at Evangeline Downs.

A sorrel son of Flying Cowboy 123 trained by Heath Taylor and a $40,000 purchase at last year's Heritage Place Yearling Sale, Corner Pocket 123 is coming off of a sixth-place finish, 1 1/2 lengths behind winner Cowboys Gun Z, in American Quarter Horse racing's richest race, the September 4, $3-million All American Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs. The gelding has earned $135,225 from five starts in New Mexico and Oklahoma.

Corner Pocket 123 drew the rail post and will be ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo in the fifth of eight trials.

Other prominent juveniles entered in Friday's trials include graded stakes winners Separate Butallright and Chendo. A $15,000 purchase a last year's Heritage Place Yearling Sale, Separate Butallright is trained by Guadalupe Garza Jr. for owner Raul Del Fierro Licon. The sorrel daughter of champion Separatist will be making his first start since July 22, when she scored a 1 1/2-length win in the 350-yard, $158,000 Speedhorse Futurity (G3) at Fair Meadows at Tulsa.

Separate Butallright drew post 2 and will be ridden by Rolando Raudales in the first heat.

Chendo races for Carlos Gabriel Castro from the barn of trainer Santiago Villaseca. A $5,500 buy at last year's TQHA Yearling Sale in San Antonio, the gelded son of RC Me Leaving You has banked $178,390 from eight outs, and his four wins include the March 25, 300-yard Louisiana Downs Futurity (G2).

Chendo drew post 4 and will be ridden by Ubaldo Luna in the eighth trial.

The 10 fastest qualifiers will meet in the $100,000-added Evangeline Downs Futurity final on December 15.

All Evangeline Downs races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.

LQHBA is the official authorized representative of the American Quarter Horse racing and breeding industry in Louisiana, the unified voice of quarter Horse breedings in the State of Louisiana for purposes of communicatting the advantages and rewards of breeding Quarter Horses in the State and for the purposes of a conducting and coordinating activities with breeding and racing agencies.