Reflector surges from last to first for Need For Speed score

OPELOUSAS, La. – In a thrilling stretch run, Reflector charged from last to first to capture Saturday night’s $60,000 Need For Speed Stakes at Evangeline Downs, kicking down the 6-5 favorite Quick Dagger in the final strides. Ty’s Bandit staged a rally of his own up the rail to dead heat Quick Dagger for the place, three-quarters of a length behind the winner. D’cajun Cat finished a head back in fourth, followed closely by the veteran Gantry, who was another head back in fifth in the five-furlong dash on the turf.

While Quick Dagger was dueling with the longshot Brilliant Interest through fractions of 22.04 seconds and 45.09, Diego Saenz, on board Reflector ($9.80), was behind horses and still trailing turning into the straight. Saenz swung the winner to the outside and free of traffic, and the two took aim on Quick Dagger, who had shaken clear past the furlong marker. Gobbling up ground with every stride, Reflector finished with a flourish to stop the timer in 57.29 over firm footing.

Reflector, a Texas-bred son of Ready’s Image out of the Cat Thief mare Passionate Dancer, is trained by Pat Devereux for Preston Stables LLC. The stakes score was the second for Devereux in a week as he also accounted for last Saturday’s John Henry Stakes with Stormdriver. The victory was Reflector’s fourth in 13 starts and his first in stakes company. The 4-yeare-old colt now has earned more than $124,000.