Devereux boasts a strong hand for Evangeline Turf Sprint card

OPELOUSAS, La. – If the Evangeline Downs Turf Sprint card on May 30 were a high-stakes poker game, it might be said that trainer Pat Devereux is holding the top pair. It is a hand Devereux said he could raise with.

“We’re all in,” Devereux said Monday as he prepares to send out Stormdriver in the $100,000 Evangeline Mile on the Turf Sprint undercard and Reflector in the $300,000 Turf Sprint itself. Both are already impressive stakes winners at the young meeting.

Stormdriver captured the John Henry Stakes at 1 1/16 miles over the main track by 5 3/4 lengths on April 25, and Reflector stormed from off the pace to win the five-furlong Need for Speed on turf a week later. That win ensured that Reflector will have a spot in Evangeline’s signature event when entries for the Turf Sprint are taken Tuesday. Reflector’s win followed a score in a second-level optional claimer at Fair Grounds in early March in his fourth start for Devereux.

“I got him around the first of December,” Devereux said of Reflector, a 4-year-old colt by Ready’s Image who was well traveled as a younger horse, campaigning in the upper Midwest and on the East Coast for Preston Stables.

“He’s a Texas-bred,” Devereux said. “The idea was maybe send him over to his home state next door, but he had that one condition left, and some good spots kept coming up in New Orleans. He kept making some nice money.”

It was a change of tactics, however, that got Reflector back to the winner’s circle.

“He had just enough natural speed to fool us,” Devereux said. “When we started taking him back and making one run, that is when he started winning.”

Stormdriver has made two starts for Devereux since joining the barn in March and has won them both.

“He’s doing really good right now,” Devereux of the 5-year-old son of Discreet Cat who earned a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure in the John Henry. Devereux was particularly pleased with Stormdriver’s five-furlong work last Saturday at the nearby Evangeline Training Center, where he is based. The 1:00.03 breeze was the fastest of the morning at the distance.

“He galloped out really, really well,” Devereux said. “He’s carrying his track around with him wherever he goes right now.”

While multiple Evangeline Downs riding champ Diego Saenz rode both Devereux charges in their recent victories, there will be a change in the saddle for Reflector. Saenz will retain the mount on Stormdriver.

“Diego has committed to last year’s champ,” Devereux said, referring to Heitai, whom Saenz guided to victory in last year’s inaugural running of the Turf Sprint. Heitai is now trained by Tom Amoss after Karl Broberg sent him out last season.

“We were going to get James Graham,” Devereux said. It was Graham who was aboard Reflector for the recent Fair Grounds win. “But he has a commitment on Delaunay at Churchill that day.” Coincidentally, Delaunay also is trained by Amoss.

“Everywhere I look, I see Amoss,” Devereux joked.

Roberto Morales, who has heated up like the southern Louisiana weather of late and has cracked into the top five in the riders’ standings, will take over the riding chores on Reflector.