Preview Racing


Evangeline Downs Derby Trials Draw 33 Sophomores
Graded stakes winner Separatist Firstdown will head four trials on Saturday to the $75,000-added Evangeline Downs Derby .

© Lou Hodges Photography / Lynn Roberts
Evangeline Downs Derby Trials Draw 33 Sophomores

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 27, 2014—Separatist Firstdown, a graded stakes winning son of champion Separatist racing for Oscar Canales Ramirez and trainer Isidro Flores, is one of 33 three-year-olds entered in Saturday’s Evangeline Downs Derby trials.

The 10 fastest qualifiers from the four 400-yard heats will meet in the $75,000-added Evangeline Downs Derby final on December 20.

Separatist Firstdown is the 8-5 morning-line favorite in the third trial. A two-time stakes winner during the Delta Downs meet, the colt will be dropping in class off of his eighth-place finish in the November 15, $292,000 Texas Classic Derby (G1) at Lone Star Park.

Separatist Firstdown drew post 9 and will be ridden by Martin Rubalcava. His eight opponents in the third heat include Donald Lane Sargent’s McM Fast Dashin Blue, a sorrel daughter of champion Jess Louisiana Blue trained by Kenneth Roberts. A $7,500 claim by her current connections on May 30, the filly outran her 14-1 odds to win the 400-yard, $60,000 Flashy Hemp Stakes (R) at Delta Downs in her next out.

Patrick Watson will ride McM Fast Dashin Blue from post 4.

The Evangeline Downs Derby trials, and all Evangeline Downs races, can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.