Evangeline: Smith rides five winners

LAFAYETTE, La. - Riding doubles and triples were common last week, but Guy Smith upstaged everyone else with a five-bagger Saturday night. Smith's feat vaulted him to the front of what has become a hotly contested race for top jockey in a meeting that is barely a month old.

Smith's big night did not start well, as his mount in the first race, 2-1 second choice Miss Top Believe, stopped badly after contesting the early pace and failed to finish.

After coming up a neck short in the second race with Global Outlaw, Smith reeled off four wins in a row.

Huff's Lady ($14.40) began the run in a one-mile maiden race, and was followed by favored Weston Electric ($6.80), Expressive Word ($7.60), and Sweet Ante ($9.20), who kicked clear by almost seven lengths in nonwinners-of-three company.

Smith then picked up win number five in the 10th and final race, riding Rapido Caballo ($10.60) to victory for trainer Charles Begnaud, who also gave Smith a leg up on Weston Electric.

* Saturday night marked the return of Southern Boy to his favorite oval. A 7-year-old, Southern Boy had won seven times here and came here off a sharp 3 1/4-length win at Delta Downs.

Claimed out of that race by Guy Tauzin from Delta's leading trainer, Doris Hebert, Southern Boy on Saturday had to settle for a third-place finish as the favorite against Louisiana-bred claimers.

He was claimed for the fourth time in his last five starts; Hebert went back in at the claim box and took him for $10,000.