Estrellas Blue Jess (#8) and Tc Scootin Aces (#4) are both entered to run in the $50,000 Louisiana Million Invitational Stakes (R) on Saturday at Evangeline Downs.

© Hodges Photography

BY MARTHA CLAUSSEN

OPELOUSAS, LA–DECEMBER 19, 2024–Also on Saturday, Ajs Louisiana Chick is the 5-2 morning line favorite for the 400-yard, $50,000 Louisiana Million Invitational Stakes (R) for state-bred 2-year-olds. The stakes are written for juveniles who competed in the LQHBA Louisiana Million trials on November 29 but did not qualify for the final.

Ajs Louisiana Chick, owned by Joseph Landreneau, has been installed as the 5-2 morning-line choice. A $16,500 purchase at last year's LQHBA Yearling Sale, the filly exited her trial as the runner-up to You Buy I Fly in a clocking of 20.161 seconds.

Bred by Arnold Trahan, the daughter of champion Jess Louisiana Blue will break from post six under her regular rider Noe Castaneda. Trained by Larry Keith, Ajs Louisiana Chick broke her maiden at Delta Downs on May 15.

Tom Selman’s homebred Estrellas Blue Jess won his trial by a head in 20.117 seconds under rider Ali Rivera, who has the return call aboard the son of Jess Louisiana Blue. His lone previous win came in a trial for the Laddie Futurity at Delta Downs last May. Shawna Webster trains the gray gelding.

Tc Scootin Aces finished a head behind Estrellas Blue Jess on November 29 in a final time of 20.143. The son of All American Futurity champion Tee Cos is owned by Rafael Brown and bred by Riley Blanchet, who was the breeder of 2023 LQHBA Louisiana Million Champion Special Wild Train B. Trainer Kenneth Roberts Sr. will give a leg up to jockey Arnulfo Gutierrez.

The LQHBA Million Invitational will run as the fourth race on the 11-race program that gets underway at 4:35 pm (Central) on Saturday, December 21. All Evangeline Downs races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.

**********************

Would you like more industry news delivered directly to your inbox? Click here to sign up.