Evangeline Downs Racetrack Casino has released its Thoroughbred stakes for the 2015 season, which gets underway on April 8. The Opelousas, Louisiana, track will offer 21 stakes races worth total purse money of $1,930,000 during its 84-day meeting that runs through August 29.
The highlight of the new season will take place on Saturday, May 30, when the track host the second running of the $300,000 Evangeline Downs Turf Sprint. The five-furlong race is one of the richest turf sprints in the country and should attract plenty of talented horses such as Heitai, who won the inaugural edition of the event in 2014. Evangeline Downs Turf Sprint Day will include a total of five stakes races worth $640,000 in purse money.
Louisiana Legends Night will take place on Independence Day, Saturday, July 4 this year. The annual event features eight stakes races for Louisiana-bred horses and total purse money of $700,000. The highlight of the evening will be the $100,000 Louisiana Legends Classic for 3-year-olds and up competing at 1-1/16 miles.
Stall applications for the upcoming meet at Evangeline Downs are due by Friday, February 20. To request a stall application, horsemen can call the Evangeline Downs racing office at 337-594-3015. The address to submit the application to is: Stall Application Committee, 2235 Creswell Lane Extension, Opelousas, Louisiana, 70570. The racing office fax number is 337-594-3166.
For a complete stakes schedule, go to www.evangelinedowns.com.