Light Up the Candy, piloted by Jose Rodriguez, surged past Lookatme Z in the final jumps to win Saturday’s $25,000 EVD Juvenile Stakes at Evangeline Downs

© Hodges Photography

By Leann Noguera, StallioneSearch

OPELOUSAS, LA—DECEMBER 20, 2025—Light Up the Candy rallied from behind to win the $25,000 EVD Juvenile Stakes on Saturday at Evangeline Downs, earning her first career stakes victory in the 400-yard contest for 2-year-olds.

Light Up The Candy, a sorrel filly by The Marfa Lights, came from just off the pace and rolled past her rivals in the final yards under jockey Jose Rodriguez. She stopped the clock in 20.205 seconds, earning an 85 speed index while facing a stiff 13 mph headwind. The victory paid $13.80 to win at odds of 6-5 and added $15,188 to her bankroll.

Owned by Donald Jacobs and trained by Kenneth Roberts Sr., the Oklahoma-bred filly now has two wins from five starts with earnings of $23,318. Light Up The Candy, a $7,000 Heritage Place Yearling Sale graduate was bred by Gary and Monty McNair and is out of the Jess Good Candy mare Sweet Candy Sashay.

Finishing second was Lookatme Z, a daughter of leading sire Apollitical Jess, who battled gamely before settling for the runner-up share under jockey Bryan Candanosa. Trainer David Bustamante saddled the bay filly for owner Triple One Ranch LLC.

Lookatme Z earned $5,187 for the effort, pushing her career earnings to $29,655 from eight starts. She was bred in Texas by Tommy Dinwiddie and is out of the FDD Dynasty mare Shezgothelook. The filly was a $350,000 yearling purchase at the 2024 Ruidoso Yearling Sale and earned her first black type with the second-place finish.

Dulce Rose checked in third, beaten by a head, after dueling throughout the early stages of the race. The sorrel filly by Dulce Sin Tacha is owned by Juan Leon and trained by Ramiro Aboytes-Suarez, with Jorge Garcia aboard. She earned $2,938 for third, increasing her career bankroll to $26,173 from seven starts.

Dulce Rose was bred in Texas by the Terrazas Family and is out of the Shazoom mare Shazoomin Rose. She was purchased for $25,000 at the 2024 TQHA Yearling Sale and has now hit the board in five of her six most recent outings.

Stanleys Salty Prize rounded out the order of finish in fourth with Francisco Calderon in the saddle.

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