BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

OPELOUSAS, LA—DECEMBER 3, 2019—Special Politico, a gelded son of Apollitical Blood owned by Oddel Batista and the fastest qualifier, heads a field of 10 state-bred 2-year-olds entered back in Saturday's 400-yard, $1-million Louisiana QHBA Million Futurity (RG1) at Evangeline Downs.

Special Politico is coming off of a one-length victory in the seventh of 14 trials on November 15. Raced exclusively in Louisiana, the gelding has won three of five starts and he has earned $40,920.

Rodriguez has qualified two juveniles, including third-fastest qualifier Mardi Gras Paint, a Paint Me Perry gelding owned by Jose Alfonso Ramos.

"I always knew he had talent," Rodriguez told racing publicist Martha Claussen. "He got a 102 speed index at Delta Downs on July 6, and he was the 11th-fastest qualifier to the LQHBA Sale Futurity (at Fair Grounds)."

Special Politico was bred by Jim and Natalie Montgomery. The gelding is out of Sweetness Special, a winning 11-year-old daughter of Eyesa Special who ran second in the 2010 Harrah's Entertainment Futurity (G2) at Louisiana Downs.

The Montgomerys also bred Open Me A Corona,the winner of the 2012 LQHBA Million.

"It's really exciting and makes you proud to breed and raise two of this caliber," said Natalie Montgomery, a practicing veterinarian. "Special Politico was a very good baby and a nice yearling, very different from Open Me A Corona, who was awful as a baby and terrible as a yearling."

Special Politico drew post 3 and will be ridden by Luis Vivanco.

Second-fastest qualifier Lifeinthefastlanes is trained by Kenneth Roberts Sr. for owners Jason Richards and Michael J. Leblanc. A $41,000 purchase at last year's Louisiana QHBA Yearling Sale, the bay daughter of champion Jess Louisiana Blue has won two of three starts and has banked $47,193, and her resume includes a third-place finish, three-quarters of a length behind winner TF Shez Jess Dashin, in the 330-yard, $339,931 Louisiana Breeders' Lassie Futurity (RG2) at Delta Downs in May.

Lifeinthefastlanes drew post 8 and will be ridden by David Alvarez.

The LQHBA Million Futurity is Louisiana's richest horse race. The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments:

1. Sir Runaway Cash (John Hamilton)
2. Ed O (Heriberto Aguilar-Orozco)
3. Special Politico (Luis Vivanco)
4. Leavin You Blue (Damian Martinez)
5. Mardi Gras Paint (Jorge Linares)
6. RH Jess Mono (Rolando Cabrera)
7. Heza Lawman (Antonio Alberto)
8. Lifeinthefastlanes (David Alvarez)
9. Jess Redwhiteandblue (Everardo Rodriguez)
10. No Freight (Benito Baca)

All Evangeline Downs races can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.