Three Bar Cartel Is The Fastest Qualifier For $159,060 Evangeline Downs Derby

OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 24, 2018—Three Bar Cartel, a 3-year-old gelding, kept a hot trial weekend going for trainer Josue Ponce at Evangeline Downs after becoming the fastest qualifier for the $159,060 Evangeline Downs Derby on Saturday night.

He is one of three qualifiers from the Ponce barn to make the final from the trials run on Saturday night. Three Bar Cartel covered the 400-yards in a final time of :19.610 seconds over the fast track, equaling a speed index of 100.

Three Bar Cartel has already scored some derby success in 2018 when he dead-heated for the victory with Eos A Political Win in the $139,300 Retama Park Derby in July. He also is now a perfect 2-for-2 at Evangeline Downs, having won a trial for the 2017 Evangeline Downs Futurity one-year-ago, also on November 24.

Three Bar Cartel was bred in Oklahoma by Dr. Curtis Smith and owned by Ruben Garcia Montemayor. He is by Capo de Capi and out of the Mr. Eye Opener mare, Eyesa Ridiculous To. The win on Saturday was his sixth career victory from 11 starts. The $3,000 first-place purse he earned on Saturday night increases his lifetime earnings to $211,909.

Ponce also saddled second fastest qualifier Jess Adalida, also owned by Ruben Garcia Montemayor. The multiple stakes winning daughter of Jess Louisiana Blue was bred in California by Double Bar S Ranch LLC from the First Down Dash mare Wortherweightingold.

Jess Adalida cruised to a one-length win under a confident ride from jockey Manuel Gutierrez to complete the 400 yards in :19.641 seconds, a 99 speed index. Winner of the Lone Star Distaff Challenge in her prior start, the sorrel filly has banked $97,392.

Gutierrez had the riding call for trainer Jorge Gonzalez on third fastest qualifier, Racanteur, who won the fourth trial by 1-¼ lengths in a time of :19.705 seconds, a 97 speed index.

The Oklahoma-bred daughter of leading second-crop sire High Rate Of Return races for Family Racing LLC and was bred by J. Garvan Kelly. Out of the Country Chicks Man mare Shanachee, Racanteur has won three of 10 starts and earned $24,304.

Trainer Josue Ponce not only had the fastest qualifier for the Evangeline Downs Derby this weekend, he also qualified the fastest qualifier for the Evangeline Downs Futurity on Friday night. Jordan Eagle very nearly set a track record while establishing the fastest time from the 11 trials run for the futurity. Both fastest qualifiers were ridden to victory by Jesse Levario.

Each of the seven Evangeline Downs Derby trials offered a purse of $5,000 and the final will offer a purse of $159,060 with the winner earning $79,530. It will be one of four finals to be run on Saturday, December 15 at Evangeline Downs.

CLICK HERE for a complete list of the 10 Evangeline Downs Derby finalists, their times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys for the Evangeline Downs Futurity.

Racing will resume at Evangeline Downs on Wednesday night with a nine-race program. Post time on Wednesday will be 5:35 pm Central Time.

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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 & 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.