Evangeline Downs to Feature 25 Stakes

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(Edited news release)
Evangeline Downs has announced a schedule of 25 stakes worth a record $2.015 million, an increase of more than 12% over last year, for the upcoming 2008 Spring/Summer meeting that begins April 9.

The stakes schedule features 10 events worth $100,000 or more, including the Evangeline Mile on Aug 16. That race, for 3-year-olds and up, is the richest race on the track's calendar with a purse of $200,000. Last year's renewal was captured by Louisiana-bred Costa Rising under veteran jockey Kerwin Clark for trainer Glenn Delahoussaye and owner Charles Castille.

State-bred horses are in the spotlight on the fourth edition of "Louisiana Legends Night," scheduled for July 4, which features six races with a purse of at least $100,000, and a total of 11 black-type restricted events that combined are worth more than $900,000.

Three new races appear on the schedule, including the $75,000 Opelousas Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on Aug. 30, and a pair of $60,000 races that are restricted to state-bred 3-year-olds, the Salute Stakes for fillies on June 13, and the Acclaim Stakes for colts and geldings on June 14.

Live racing during the 85-night meet will be conducted Wednesday through Saturday, with first-race post times scheduled for 6:20 p.m., CDT. The meet concludes Sept. 1.

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