Evangeline Downs opens 46-date Quarter Horse meet Wednesday

Evangeline Downs turns its attention to Quarter Horse racing on Wednesday night. The Opelousas, La., track will open a 46-date meet that runs through Dec. 17.

The centerpiece of the season will be the $1 million Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders’ Futurity. The race for 2-year-olds bred in the state will be run Nov. 19. The trials are scheduled for Oct. 28.

Other highlights of the stakes schedule include the $150,000-added LQHBA Derby, which also will be run Nov. 19. The $100,000-added Evangeline Downs Futurity and the $100,000-added Evangeline Downs Derby will share the card Dec. 17.

Evangeline will race Wednesday through Saturday nights. Post time will be 5:35 Central.

John Hamilton and David Alvarez, who tied for the riding title in 2015, are both back for the new season. Each jockey won 40 races. Robert Touchet was both the leading Quarter Horse owner and trainer last season at Evangeline.