Pletcher, Bold Venture to enter Texas Hall

Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher and 1936 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Bold Venture are part of a class of seven individuals to be inducted into the Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame this year, according to a post on the organization’s website. The inductions will take place during a trackside gala Aug. 4 at Retama Park near San Antonio.

Others to be inducted are Tom Durant, Jim Helzer, Julianna Hawn Holt, Corey Johnsen, and One Famous Eagle.

Pletcher is a Dallas native who graduated from a San Antonio high school, according to a bio on his website. Bold Venture sired Assault, the 1946 Triple Crown winner for Texas-based breeder and owner King Ranch.

◗ Evangeline Downs moved its $600,000 Louisiana Legends Night program of stakes from early July to May 26 this year and experienced an increase in handle on the program, according to figures provided by the track. Evangeline handled $1,476,294 on its Legends Night program from all sources this year, up from $1,318,687 on Legends Night last July.

◗ Social Misfit, the 9-year-old who upset Mobile Bay in the $100,000 Louisiana Legends Classic last month at Evangeline, is entered in an optional $20,000 claiming route Friday night at Lone Star Park.

◗ Drewcitable, who is stakes-placed on turf, returns to the grass for Wednesday night’s eighth race at Evangeline. The conditioned allowance at a mile is for 3-year-olds and up bred in Louisiana.

◗ Iona Star, winner of a division of the Louisiana Futurity at Fair Grounds, goes in Wednesday’s fourth race at Louisiana Downs. The conditioned allowance over six furlongs is for fillies and mares bred in Louisiana.