Ide Like a Double Sets Evangeline Record

Favored Ide Like a Double rallied gamely to win the $200,000 Evangeline Mile by one length in an Evangeline Downs track-record time  Aug. 16.

Ridden by Kerwin Clark, the 3-year-old Lousiana-bred colt by Ide--Make Mine a Double, by Carr de Naskra, ran the distance in 1:36.28 on a wet-fast track to record his sixth lifetime win in 12 starts for owner Valene Farms and trainer Bryon Gilbert. Clark has ridden Ide Like a Double in all of his races.

Reserved off the early pace, Ide Like a Double settled three wide in the backstretch, launching his bid midway around the final turn. The dark bay continued to rally in the stretch, passing the pacesetter Missed the Prom and Marvel Wood in the final strides. Marvel Wood, with Lonnie Meche aboard, beat Missed the Prom and Gerard Melancon by a neck for second.

Second choice Sonoma Cat stopped abruptly nearing the final turn and was eased by jockey Randall Toups.

Ide Like a Double scored the most lucrative victory of his career while boosting his earnings to $318,411 with the winner's share of $120,000. The colt was coming off a second-place finish to Star Production in the Louisiana Breeders' Derby at Louisiana Downs two weeks ago.

“He was a different horse tonight," Clark said. "I don’t know if it was the heat or the different racing surface at Louisiana Downs, but he never extended himself for me that day and finished second on his class alone, while tonight he broke sharper than ever and after I was able to get him to relax we were in the driver’s seat behind the two leaders.

" I know my colt has a good kick to him so I waited when Gerard and Lonnie quickened around the far turn. At the top of the stretch I gave him his cue and when I hit him a couple of times left-handed approaching the sixteenth pole he accelerated past them.”

Clark also captured the 2007 Evangeline Mile aboard Costa Rising in a then-track record time of 1:36.51.

Robkat Racing Stable bred Ide Like a Double.

Sent off at odds of 17-10, Ide Like a Double paid $5.40, $3.20, and $2.60. Marvel Wood returned $4.20 and $3.40. Missed the Prom was $4.20 to show.