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Maxx Is Fastest Qualifier For $317,500 Evangeline Downs Futurity


Maxx, under jockey, Manuel Gutierrez, setting the fastest time for the $317,500 Evangeline Downs Futurity on Friday night at Evangeline Downs.

© Coady Photography

OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 18, 2016—Maxx, a gelding owned by Irma Z. Vargas, was the fastest qualifier from the 12 trials run on Friday night for the Evangeline Downs Futurity. Maxx was dazzling in a 1-¼ length victory in the sixth trial on the program, covering the 400 yards over the fast track in a final time of :19.551 seconds. That equals a speed index of 101 with a 6-mph tailwind.

The 10 fastest qualifiers will return to the Opelousas, Louisiana racetrack on Saturday, December 17th to vie for the winner's share of a $317,500 purse going 400 yards.

Maxx was one of six victories on the 12-race program for jockey Manuel Gutierrez. Gutierrez also won the second race with Jmf Dashing, the fourth race with Jmf Western Cartel, the ninth race with Eagle Cry, the 10th race with Ardor and the 12th race with Mega Hero. While Gutierrez had a stellar night at Evangeline Downs, Maxx was the only one of these winners to qualify for the Futurity final.

Dash For Cash Futurity(G2) winner Eye N Cap, under jockey Damian Martinez, kicked off the night with a dominating win in the first trial. © Coady Photography
Maxx is trained by Rolando Almanza and was bred in Oklahoma by Jim Gubas. The 2-year-old gelding is by Pyc Paint Your Wagon and is out of the Bully Bullion mare, Bullions N Garters. He is a $25,000 Heritage Place Yearling graduate.

Maxx has previously won the Grade 3 Sam Houston Juvenile Challenge at Sam Houston Race Park in May and was fifth in the Grade 1 Texas Classic Futurity two week ago at Lone Star Park. He has now won three of his six lifetime starts and the $3,000 first-place purse from his trial win increases his lifetime earnings to $78,299.

Grade 2 Dash For Cash Futurity winner Eye N Capo remained undefeated after posting a 1-¼ length win in the opening trial for owner Ruben Garcia Montemayor and trainer Adrian Huitron. The sorrel gelding completed the 400 yards in :19.679 seconds with a 5-mph tailwind to record a 97-speed index.

Also, bred in Oklahoma the $8,500 Heritage Place Sale graduate bred by Dee and Betty Raper is by second crop sire Capo de Capi from the Mr Eye Opener mare Satisfeyen. The lightly raced gelding is 3-for-3 and has earned $159,536. Damian Martinez had the riding assignment.

One Sweet Picky, under jockey Luis Vivanco, One Sweet Picky winning the third trial at Evangeline Downs.
© Coady Photography
Restricted G2-placed One Sweet Picky Defeated Main Seis by 1-¼ lengths in the sixth trial to get the third fastest clocking of :19.692 seconds, a 97-speed index with an 8-mph tailwind.

Rodolfo Sanchez conditions the daughter of #2 Leading Second Crop sire, One Sweet Jess, for owner Ricardo Barrera. Bred in Texas by Scarlett Hill Farms, from the Sticks An Stones mare Sticky N Picky, One Sweet Picky has compiled a (5) 2-1-1 record and earned $54,736. The $21,000 TQHA Yearling Sale graduate finished third in the TQHA Sale Futurity(RG2) at Retama Park in July.

For a complete list of Evangeline Downs Futurity finalists, times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.

While Manuel Gutierrez was the riding star with six winners on Friday night at Evangeline Downs, when it came to qualifying horses for the final, it was trainer Adrian Huitron and jockey Damian Martinez that earned three of the 10 spots in the final to be run on Saturday, December 17.

They paired together to get Eye N Capo, Platinum Fdd, and Main Seis into the top ten fastest times from the 104 horses that went to the post over the 12 trial races.

John Stinebaugh was the only other trainer with multiple qualifiers getting Jess Kicked A Grear with the 6th fastest time and Pyc Disco with the 10th qualifying spot.

Each of the 12 Evangeline Downs trials offered a purse of $5,000 and the Evangeline Downs Futurity final will offer a purse of $317,500.

Racing will resume at Evangeline Downs on Saturday night with a nine-race program that will include eight trials for the Evangeline Downs Derby. Post time on Saturday will be 5:35 pm Central Time.

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/EvanglineDownsRacing.

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About Evangeline Downs
Evangeline Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel is owned by Boyd Gaming Corporation, a leading diversified owner and operator of 22 gaming entertainment properties located in Nevada, New Jersey, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Boyd Gaming press releases are available at www.prnewswire.com. Additional news and information can be found at www.boydgaming.com, or evangelinedowns.com

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Courtesy Ses