Evangeline: Boyd Gaming wants to give track a signature race

Boyd Gaming wants to develop a marquee stakes race, likely for 3-year-olds, at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, La., an executive with the Las Vegas-based company said. Boyd acquired Evangeline last year as part of its purchase of Peninsula Gaming. Evangeline is currently conducting a Quarter Horse meet that runs through Dec. 19. The track’s Thoroughbred meet opens in April and runs through the end of August.

“Evangeline is a beautiful facility and we’ve got to find ways to get a graded stakes race there,” said Paul Chakmak, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Boyd Gaming Corp. “They do not have a graded stakes race.

“Our game plan is to come up with a showcase race this spring, probably a 3-year-old race,” Chakmak said. “We’ve got to fit that into a crowded calendar, but we’ll see if we can do something. We’ll work with the horsemen and try to put together the best race we can for Evangeline.”

Chakmak said a 3-year-old race would flow well with the major stakes offered at the company’s other track, Delta Downs in Vinton, La. The Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot for 2-year-olds is run in November. The mile and a sixteenth race is supported by seven other stakes on an annual card that this year produced a track-record handle of $5 million.

“We’ll try to take to Evangeline Downs the things that were and have been successful here at Delta Downs,” said Chakmak.

Boyd, in 2002, introduced the Delta Jackpot with a purse of $500,000.

Chakmak said Steve Kuypers, general manager of Delta, is serving in a similar capacity at Evangeline as part of his responsibilities of overseeing Louisiana racing operations for Boyd. Chris Warren, longtime director of racing at Delta, was recently named to the same position at Evangeline.

Delta, which has a six-furlong track, and Evangeline, a one-mile oval with a seven-eighths turf course, will continue to operate their traditional meets, said Chakmak.

“Right now our plan as a company is to have a solid Quarter Horse meet at both tracks and run a solid Thoroughbred meet at both tracks,” he said. “I think the two properties can be very complimentary to each other.”

Evangeline last month conducted Louisiana’s richest race for Quarter Horses, the $1 million LQHBA Futurity. The track on Saturday night will put on the $200,550 Evangeline Downs Futurity.

Boyd’s purchase of Evangeline included the track’s 1,400 slot machines and four offtrack-betting facilities. Delta, which has no OTBs, has 1,600 slot machines.