Jockey Steve Bourque’s career is coming full circle at Evangeline Downs. He won the first race of his career at the track’s original location in Carencro, La., in 1979. He retired at the track’s new facility in Opelousas, La., in 2010. And he is now poised to reach a riding milestone at the current meet after returning to competition in November. Bourque, 53, is nearing 4,000 career Thoroughbred victories. He was at 3,992 wins going into Wednesday night’s races, according to Equibase, and had three mounts on the card. Bourque was named on another four horses Thursday and will be active Friday night with mounts in the first, second, third, and fifth races. Bourque’s week will close out Saturday with five mounts on the Louisiana Legends Night program of stakes at Evangeline. For the rider, the pending milestone is a satisfying one that represents a body of work built over decades. “It means the world to me,” he said. “It means everything. I did something good. It’s a good feeling.” Bourque might not have been in a position to shoot for the milestone had the gas and oil industry not experienced a downturn. He retired from the saddle on the final night of the Evangeline meet back in September 2010 to go to work in that industry. “I took a job with my father-in-law working in the oil field, driving a truck for him, and the oil field failed,” Bourque said. “Everything went bad in the oil field, so my father-in-law sold all his trucks. I decided to go back to riding because I was still small. I weighed 113 pounds. Right now, I weigh 109.” Bourque launched his comeback at Delta Downs in Vinton, La., and promptly won 10 races before the close of 2015. He has tacked on another 54 wins this year through Tuesday. “The comeback’s been great,” he said. “I’ve had a chance to ride some good horses, and I’ve been winning.” Those horses include Couche Couche, who gave Bourque his first stakes win since his comeback, taking the $50,000 Rajun Cajun in April at Evangeline Downs. Bourque has won 100 stakes races during his career, according to Daily Racing Form records. Horses he has had stakes success with include Vivace, Vilaxy, Political Whit, Lights On Broadway, Nitro Chip, and Drill Hall. Bourque will attempt to add to that list during Saturday night’s richest card of the meet at Evangeline. His mounts include Four Leaf Chief, a multiple stakes winner who goes in the $100,000 Louisiana Legends Turf. Bourque was aboard the horse last time, when he ran second in an off-the-turf optional claimer at Evangeline. “I was about 20 lengths behind, and he made a big run, and he got a little tired,” Bourque said. “He hadn’t run in a while. It was like three, four months the last time he ran. He’s a nice horse.” Bourque, who is eighth in the current standings at Evangeline, has won two titles at Sam Houston and eight at Delta Downs. The rider, who has more than $33 million in career mount earnings, said that after Evangeline, he plans to continue riding in Louisiana since he lives in the state, in Broussard. “I’m going to stay home,” he said. “My little girl finally turned 21, last year in college. That’s what I was waiting for. My wife and I are in a good place. It’s our time now. Whatever I do, I want to just enjoy it.” * Ivan James is part of a 10-horse field for Friday night's $194,810 Firecracker Derby for Quarter Horses at Delta Downs.