Rf Fast Dash N Blood became racing’s newest millionaire when he showed all heart to capture the $1,000,000 LQHBA Louisiana Million (RG1) at Evangeline Downs Saturday night. The Million closed the show on a fantastic 12-race stakes card that included the LQHBA Breeders Derby (RG3), EVD Futurity (GR2) and EVD Derby. The races were contested over a fast racetrack on a picturesque fall evening.
The field for the Million all had relatively smooth starts, with Jedi James and Luziana Man quickest early. Rf Fast Dash N Blood, with rider Jorge Javier Garcia in the irons, was bumped early on but was able to recover to get into contention by the midway point. Inside the final 100 yards it was a battle with Jedi James and Luziana Man showing their grit, while Rf Fast Dash N Blood and San Lorenzo Bossman were both charging at the leaders. Rf Fast Dash N Blood was able to surge forward in the final jumps to claim a head victory over a very game Jedi James, with Luziana Man a nose back in third and another nose to San Lorenzo Bossman.
The winner stopped the clock in a time of 19.887 seconds for the 400-yard distance and earned a speed index of 93 in the effort. The Million is a race for Louisiana-bred 2-year-olds.
Owned by Jaime Cardenas and trained by Josue Ponce, Rf Fast Dash N Blood wins his eighth race in a row and claims his fourth futurity trial of the year. He has now won eight times in 10 career starts. With the hefty sum of $445,000 for the win, his bankroll now stands at $1,176,989.
Rf Fast Dash N Blood is a bay gelding sired by Apollitical Blood and is out of the Heza Fast Dash mare Fast Dash N Deb. He was bred by Rogers Farm/Tim/Jennie Rogers.
Rf Fast Dash N Blood returns $3.80 to win as the favorite, $2.80 to place and $2.20 to show. Jedi James, off at 30-1, paid $23.20 and $12.20, with Luziana Man paying $3.40.
Full Moon Desire and jockey Victor Manuel Urieta, Jr. parlayed a sharp start into a strong run to take the $307,955 EVD Futurity (GR2). The race for 2-year-olds was raced over the distance of 400 yards.
Breaking alertly from the center of the starting gate, Full Moon Desire quickly sped to the front with plenty of clear running space. Longshot Cyber Sass broke smartly from her rail post, with Feenom and Sheza Goldigger among the sharpest early. As the field raced past the midway point, Full Moon Desire asserted herself as the main player and opened up a half-length advantage that she maintained in the run to the wire. Cyber Sass battled on nicely for second, with Jlc Show Time getting in gear too late and finishing a head behind in third. The running time for the winner was 20.054 seconds and earned a speed index of 89.
Owned by Leviram Racing, LLC (Juan, Jairo, Jasio Lozano) and trained by Ramiro Aboytes-Suarez, Full Moon Desire is a winner for the fourth time in six career starts. With the hefty winning share of $153,978, her bankroll jumps to $224,673.
The winner is a sorrel Texas-bred filly sired by Chilitos. She is out of the Desirio mare Mystical Desire.
Full Moon Desire returns $8.20 to win, $5.40 to place and $3.60 to show. Cyber Sass, 30-1 on the board, paid $19.40 and $7.60, with Jlc Show time returning $3.60.
San Lorenzo Chrome overcame some crowding at the start to just collar longshot Beleavin to capture the $144,000 LQHBA Breeders Derby (RG3). San Lorenzo Chrome becomes the first runner to complete the Million-Derby double. The race for Louisiana-bred 3-year-olds was over the 350-yard distance. The winner’s time of 17.857 earned a speed index of 92.
Beleavin broke sharply, as did Moneys On and Gold Gun Z, while San Lorenzo Chrome was pinched at the start. With 110 yards to go, Beleavin was looking to pull off the upset, but San Lorenzo Chrome and jockey Arturo Alvarez found another gear and surged forward in the final jump to win by a nose, with a neck back to Gold Gun Z and another head to Moneys On.
Owned by Rogelio Marquez, Jr. and trained by Juan Garcia, San Lorenzo Chrome wins for the fifth time in his six career starts. With the winner’s share of $64,080 his bankroll jumps to $541,219.
Bred by Charles Boudreaux, San Lorenzo Chrome is a 3-year-old sorrel colt sired by Cox Stallion Station stallion Freighttrain B. He is out of the Jet Black Patriot mare Jet Black Presence. He was purchased at the 2023 LQHBA Yearling Sale for $30,000.
San Lorenzo Chrome returned $3.80 to win as the wagering favorite, $2.80 to place and $2.20 to show. Beleavin, a 29-1 longshot, paid $18 and $5.80, with Gold Gun Z paying $2.20.
Atta Boy Slim ($31.80) dug in late to fend off a host of challengers to pull of the upset in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile (RG2) over the distance of 350 yards. The race is for Louisiana-bred 2-year-olds.
Owned by Emily Loup and trained by Vann Haywood, he was ridden to victory by Federico Vargas. A winner for the third time in his career, Atta Boy Slim is a brown gelding sired by The Louisiana Cartel and out of the Fast Prize Dash mare Sassy Chic 3341. He was bred by Wade Loup.
Leaving Coyame ($34.80) came rolling late to take the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Derby (RG3). The race for Louisiana-bred 3-year-olds was contested over the 400-yard distance with the winner stopping the timer in 20.057 seconds and earning a speed index of 89.
Jockey Yaidel Rodriguez was aboard the Luis Martinez, Jr. trainee as he won for the fifth time in 19 career starts. Owned and bred by Carlos Levario, Leaving Coyame is a sorrel gelding sired by Coronas Leaving You. He is out of the Mr Eye Opener mare Dressed to Kill.
Rogue Fast Dash ($8.40) broke sharply with jockey Juan Francisco Garcia, Jr. and stayed to the task in winning the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic (RG2). The race for Louisiana-bred runners 4-years-old and upward was battled over the distance of 440 yards. Rogue Fast Dash covered the ground in a time of 21.933 seconds in winning for the third time this season and earned a speed index of 98.
Owned by Archie McKinnon and trained by Ismael Solis-Guevera, Rogue Fast Dash is a winner for the eighth time from 19 career starts. The 4-year-old sorrel mare was bred by the partnership of Robicheaux Ranch and Triple M. She is sired by Heza Fast Dash and is out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Miss Jess Rogue.
Tempting Grace ($6.20) finished a perfect three-for-three at the meet with a sharp effort in the $121,060 EVD Derby. The race for 3-year-olds was raced over the distance of 400 yards and the winner zipped over the distance in a time of 19.890 seconds for a speed index of 93.
With Jorge Javier Garcia aboard for all three wins at the meet, Tempting Grace has now won five of her nine career starts. Trained by Luis Martinez, Jr. and owned by Francisco Javier Garza, the winner is a grey filly sired by Tempting Dash. She is a Texas-bred out of the Jumpn Chic mare Jumpin Beau Chick.
Valiant Heart Z ($7.40) fought off the hard charge from San Lorenzo Cocoy to take the $50,000 LQHBA Louisiana Million Invitational. The race over the 400-yard distance is the consolation bracket for runners that did not qualify for the Million. The winner, with Victor Manuel Urieta, Jr. in the irons, covered the distance in a time of 20.107 seconds and earned a speed index of 87.
Owned by Luis Armando Castellanos and trained by Santiago Villaseca, Valiant Heart Z wins for the third time in eight career starts. He is a bay gelding sired by Gold Heart Eagle V, out of the Valiant Hero mare Ym Valentine. He was bred in Louisiana by Slash Z Quarter Horses.
C the Power ($9.80) dashed away in the final 50 yards to take the $40,000 Laverne Perry Stakes. The race for 3-year-olds and upward was contested over the distance of 250 yards and the winner stopped the timer in 13.329 seconds for a speed index of 92.
Humberto Vital was aboard for the victory, the fifth from 20 career starts for the Johnny Montoya, Jr. runner. Owned by Juan Montoya, Sr. he is a 4-year-old grey gelding sired by Power Jam and out of the First Down Dash mare High Plains Prize. He was bred in Louisiana by Ken O’Brien.
Franny B Dove ($4.80) ran her winning streak to five races with a late surge under jockey Leonardo Rodriguez to capture the $131,000 LQHBA Breeders Oaks. She covered the 350-yards in a time of 17.957 to earn a speed index of 85 in the race for Louisiana-bred 3-year-old fillies.
Owned by Randall Morein and trained by Larry Keith, she is a chestnut sired by Stevie B First Cash and is out of the Jazzing Hi mare Jazzing Micki. She was bred by the team of Phil Guilbeau and Randy Morein and is a winner for the sixth time in 11 career starts.
Light Up the Candy ($13.80) surged forward in the final yards to capture the $25,000 EVD Juvenile Stakes. The winner covered the 400-yard distance in a time of 20.205 seconds and earned a speed index of 85. The race is for 2-year-olds that did not qualify for the EVD Futurity.
Ridden to victory by Jose Ariel Rodriguez and trained by Kenneth Roberts, Sr., Light Up the Candy is a winner for the second time from five starts. Owned by Donald Ray Jacobs, she is an Oklahoma-bred sorrel filly sired by The Marfa Lights, out of the Jess Good Candy mare Sweet Candy Sashay.
Power of the Smile ($12.40) kicked off the Million card winning a stretch battle with Explosive Legend in the $25,000 EVD 870 Stakes. Trained by Kenneth Weeks and ridden to victory by Pedro Chavarria Espinosa, Power of the Smile is a winner for the sixth time in 17 career starts. The winner earned a speed index of 86 with a time of 46.685 seconds.
Bred in Louisiana by Jumonville Farms, the 4-year-old grey gelding is sired by Power Jam and is out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Beyond the Smiles. He is owned by Jumonville Farms (Dutcher, Clayton and John Jumonville).
The 2026 Evangeline Downs Thoroughbred season is tentatively set to kick off a 76-day meet on April 3.
For more information on Evangeline Downs visit the track’s website at https://evangelinedowns.boydgaming.com/racing.
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About Evangeline Downs Racetrack& Casino
Encompassing over 750 acres, Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation, features over 39,000 square feet of casino space as well a racetrack that boasts state-of-the-art facilities with a 7/8-mile turf track and a one mile main track. The casino includes over 1,000 slot and video poker machines, two dining options, and plenty of meeting space including track-side private club suites. Evangeline Downs also includes a newly opened FanDuel Sportsbook. For more information, visit www.evangelinedowns.com and connect on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Founded in 1975, Boyd Gaming Corporation is a leading geographically diversified operator of 28 gaming entertainment properties in 10 states, and manager of a tribal casino in northern California. The Company is also a strategic partner and 5% equity owner of FanDuel Group, the nation’s leading sports-betting operator.
