JOCKEY COLBY HERNANDEZ WINS FOUR RACES ON THE FRIDAY NIGHT PROGRAM

 

Opelousas Stakes
Evangeline Downs, 7-12-19, One mile* (originally scheduled for turf)
Three-year-olds and upwards, fillies and mares, $50,000

IS TOO
Midshipman–Tensas Salt
Breeder: J. Adcock & Montgomery Equine Center (LA)
Owner: Baronne Farms, LLC
Trainer: Edward J. Johnston
Jockey: Colby J. Hernendez

2nd
Mariah’s Galaxy
Greeley’s Galaxy–Black Mariah
Breeder: Margie K. Averett (LA)
Owner: Riley Blanchet and Todd Matte
Trainer: Victor Arceneaux
Jockey: Kevin J. Smith

3rd
Roussalka
Skipshot–Hemera
Breeder: Olympia Star Inc (KY)
Owner: Mark Glover
Trainer: Tracey Glover
Jockey: Aubrie Green

OPELOUSAS, LA – Friday night at Evangeline Downs was a stellar night for one of the perennial leading riders at the track, Colby Hernandez. He won four of the nine races on the card, including an impressive stakes score aboard Is Too in the $50,000 Opelousas Stakes. The race had originally been scheduled for one mile on the turf, but rain throughout the week forced it to be transferred to the main track. Is Too finished the mile in 1:39.67 over the fast track.

 

The longest shot on the board at 27-1, Mi Copa Rebosa, took the early lead and set a solid pace of 24.98 seconds for the quarter-mile and 49.51 for the half. As the field approached the half-mile mark, Is Too advanced through an opening at the rail and assumed the lead. She eventually built a four-length edge as the field entered the stretch. Mariah’s Galaxy closed strongly but was only able to cut the final margin of victory for Is Too to 1-1/4 lengths. Roussalka finished third while the betting favorite, Bermuda Star, never fired and finished fourth in the field of six.

 

Is Too was sent off at odds of 2-1 and paid $6 to win, $3 to place and $2.80 to show. Mariah’s Galaxy returned $3.80 to place and $3 to show, while Roussalka paid $4.40 to show.

 

Is Too was bred in Louisiana by J. Adcock and Montgomery Equine Center, is owned by Baronne Farms, LLC. and is trained by Edward Johnston. The 4-year-old filly is by 2008 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner, Midshipman, and is out of the Salt Lake mare, Tensas Salt. She has now won 5-of-13 career starts and the $30,000 first-place purse increases her lifetime earnings to $157,640.

 

Live racing at Evangeline Downs will resume on Wednesday night with a nine-race program. Post time on Wednesday will be 5:50 pm Central Time.

 

For more information on the American Quarter Horse season at Evangeline Downs, visit the track’s website at www.evdracing.com. Evangeline Downs’ Twitter handle is @EVDRacing and the racetrack is also accessible on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EvangelineDownsRacing.