Evangeline: 'Minit' back quickly

Favorite Minit, fresh off his first stakes win last weekend at Louisiana Downs, should rule a heavy favorite in the $75,000 Lafayette Stakes. The closing-day feature at Evangeline Downs drew a field of 10 2-year-olds and will be run at six furlongs.

Monday will mark the final Thoroughbred program at the current facility. Construction on a new track in nearby Opelousas is scheduled to be completed in time for the start of the 2005 season, which begins next April.

Prior to his half-length victory in the Southern Beau Stakes last Sunday, Favorite Minit made a flashy debut, winning easily by 10 lengths against maiden company. Favorite Minit, trained by Doris Hebert, will once again have Steve Bourque in the saddle.

My Parade, a confirmed closer trained by Eddie Milligan, will be making his first stakes start. A Louisiana Downs invader, My Parade could be in perfect position to take advantage of an expected quick pace and may pick up the pieces. Filemon Rodriguez will come in to ride.

Fans will also get a preview of the Quarter Horse meeting that gets under way on Sept. 16. The 2004 Louisiana Quarter Horse Futurity will be the seventh race on the undercard and its $350,000 estimated purse is the most lucrative ever offered at Evangeline.