THE 50-NIGHT SEASON CONCLUDED ON SATURDAY NIGHT

 

OPELOUSAS, LA – There was a long time during the Thoroughbred season at Evangeline Downs this summer where it appeared that Karl Broberg would not defend the training title he has won so many times before. That was until the night of August 19, when horses trained by Broberg won six of the nine races on the program and catapulted him back to the top of the standings. Broberg totaled 23 wins for the season, which was six more than a three-way tie for second at 17 wins between Sam David, Jr., Ron Faucheux and Eduardo Ramirez. For the season, Broberg’s horses earned $374,150 in purse money, which also topped the table.

The complete top 10 trainers’ standings were: Karl Broberg (23 wins), a three-way tie for second with Sam David, Jr., Ron Faucheux, and Eduardo Ramirez at 17 wins each, a three-way tie for fifth with Allen Landry, Lee Thomas and Dale White, Sr. at 15 wins each, a two-way tie for eighth with Keith Bourgeois and Bret Calhoun at 14 wins each and a three-way tie for ninth with Sam Breaux, Kenneth Hargrave and Corale Richards at 13 wins each.

Tim Thornton handily won the jockeys’ title at Evangeline Downs in 2020 with 73 victories from 339 starts for a 22% winning percentage. When you add 71 second-place and 47 third-place finishes to his record, that gives Thornton an in-the-money percentage for the season of 56%. Thornton and runner-up Diego Saenz were the only riders whose mounts earned in excess of one million dollars in purse money with Thornton’s horses picking up $1,268,850 and Saenz’s earning $1,050,461.

The complete top 10 jockeys’ standings were: Tim Thornton (73 wins), Diego Saenz (56), Gerard Melancon (46), Devin Magnon (31), Jansen Melancon (26), Ty Kennedy (25), C.J. McMahon (22), Joe Stokes (21), and a two-way tie for ninth between Jarred Journet and E.M. Murray at 18 wins each.

It was a stellar season for Dale White, Sr. at Evangeline Downs. White not only finished in the top five in the training standings, he also managed to finish the meet as the leading owner with 14 victories from 84 starts, ending up four wins ahead of a tie for second between Elite Thoroughbred Racing LLC and End Zone Athletics, Inc. White also added 13 seconds and 17 thirds for an in-the-money percentage of 52% for his runners. His horses earned $248,180 in purses, which was also led the standings.

The complete top 10 owners’ standings were: Dale White, Sr. (14 wins), a two-way tie for seconds with Elite Thoroughbred Racing LLC and End Zone Athletics, Inc. at 10 wins each, a two-way tie for fourth with Earl Hernandez, Keith Hernandez & John Duvieilh and Red Rose Racing at 9 wins each, a two-way tie for sixth with Rylee Grudzien and M & M Racing at 7 wins each and a three-way tie for eighth between Allied Racing Stable, LLC, Norman Stables, LLC and Whispering Oaks Farm, LLC at 6 wins each.

Live racing at Evangeline Downs will resume on September 17 with the beginning of the American Quarter Horse meeting. Post time for the season will be 5:35 pm Central Time.

 

For more information on racing 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.