Highly Wicked doesn't love a rainy night

Like most horses, Highly Wicked enjoys listening to the radio. But there’s one song that probably will be barred from the turf mare’s barn ahead of Friday night’s $60,000 Opelousas at Evangeline Downs – “I Love a Rainy Night,” by Eddie Rabbitt.

Rain cost Highly Wicked a chance to defend her title in the $100,000 Louisiana Legends Night Turf Distaff on June 6, forcing race to the main track and Highly Wicked to be scratched. The Distaff was the richest local stakes for her division, and it was to have been run over a course on which she’s 7 for 7.

Trainer Sam David Jr. is hoping to draw a kinder hand from Mother Nature for the Opelousas, a one-mile turf race for fillies and mares that has a field of six.

“Hopefully, it doesn’t rain,” he said. “That’s been our problem this meet. They’re calling for a little bit, but hopefully we get through it.”

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Highly Wicked is a daughter of Wicked Strong who has won seven stakes and earned more than $500,000 for breeders Earl Hernandez, Keith Hernandez, and John Duvieilh. She will be looking for her third consecutive stakes win Friday night following the Red Camelia on Feb. 28 at Fair Grounds and the Bon Temps on April 10 at Evangeline.

“She’s coming into the race very good,” David said. “I couldn’t ask her to be any better right now. She’s just doing great. Missing that last race hurt us a little bit, because it just puts her so far between races, but she also seems to have handled that real good, so I’m not complaining.”

Highly Wicked first won over the Evangeline turf on April 19, 2023. She’s kept her local record perfect over the years. Overall on turf, she is 11 for 13.

“She’s undefeated on this turf course, but she hasn’t been beaten on any turf course too many times,” David said. “So, I think more than anything, she just likes the turf and she handles it good. This one, she gets over probably a little bit better.”

Highly Wicked will start from post 6 under regular rider Marcelino Pedroza Jr.

“Her ideal race, I think, is just stalking fairly close,” David said. “We don’t like them to get too far away because it gives her a little too much to do. A stalking trip would be great.

“When she first came around, she was one-dimensional, just had to be on the lead. As she’s matured, she’s worked herself out of that. I think she was laying sixth or seventh last time and made a big run. As she’s matured, she’s kind of grown into being able to be a little more versatile.”

Berlaine might love a rainy night. She won the Spotted Horse on the main track April 3 at Evangeline and last year won three consecutive off-the-turf races at Fair Grounds. Berlaine, a two-time winner on turf, has speed and will break from post 3.

She’s a Joker probably hopes to be “Walking on Sunshine” on Friday as the Southern California import’s five wins have been on turf. She starts from post 2.

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