News - Racing March  28, 2024

Five Bar Jewel Scores A Win In The $30,000 Billy Montgomery Stakes At Evangeline Downs


Five Bar Jewel, under jockey Everardo Rodriguez, defeats One Fast Perry (#10) in the $30,000 Billy Montgomery Stakes Saturday night at Evangeline Downs.

© Coady Photography

OPELOUSAS, LA—OCTOBER 24, 2020—Five Bar Jewel has been on quite a roll so far in 2020. The gelding started off with a win in April at Remington Park and followed that up with another victory at Delta Downs in June.

He picked up a third win of the year at Lone Star Park in September and on Saturday night at Evangeline Downs, Five Bar Jewel notched the first stakes victory of his career in the $30,000 Billy Montgomery Stakes.

Five Bar Jewel got off to a good start under jockey Everardo Rodriguez and accelerated nicely through the stretch to cover the 330-yard distance in a final time of 16.404 seconds, which equals a speed index of 104. Five Bar Jewel was sent off as the 5-2 co-favorite and defeated 13-1 longshot, One Fast Perry, by a half-length. The other co-favorite, Rf Fast Dash N Blue, won a photo for third place.

The winning connections of Five Bar Jewel accept the Billy Montgomery Stakes trophies Saturday night at Evangeline Downs. © Coady Photography
Five Bar Jewel was bred in Louisiana by Richard and Janelle Simon, owned by Jose Ernesto Guzman and is trained by Alonso Neri. The 4-year-old is by Five Bar Cartel and is out of the First Down Jewel mare, First Down Hemp. The win was his fifth in 16 career starts and the $18,000 first-place purse increases his lifetime earnings to $107,940.

Trainer Lanny Keith saddled runner-up One Fast Perry for owner-breeder Eddie Harrison. Leonardo Rodriguez rode the son of multiple stakes sire Fast Prize Jordan from the Toast To Dash mare De Bell Perry. He earned $6,000 to bring his earning total to $43,395.

Another half-length back Rf Fast Dash N Blue earned $3,300 for third. Vann Haywood conditions the son of multiple stakes sire Jess Louisiana Blue for owner-breeder Roges Farm. Gilbert Ortiz had the riding call on the 4-year-old gelding out of Fast Dash N Deb by Heza Faset Dash. The multiple stakes-placed gelding has earned $121,720.

No Freight, No Politics Here, Tf Toast To Whisky, Jet Black Design, Heza Bell Perry Jr, High And Caliente and Prize Dasher completed the field.

Five Bar Jewel paid $7.60 to win, $4.20 to place and $3 to show. One Fast Perry returned $11.80 to place and $7.40 to show, while Rf Fast Dash N Blue paid $3.40 to show.

Racing at Evangeline Downs resumes on Thursday night with a nine-race program. Post time on Thursday night 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.


Courtesy Ses