Scotty Boy stands out in Evangeline Downs Prince Stakes

Scotty Boy stands alone in two key categories heading into Saturday night’s $50,000 Evangeline Downs Prince. He’s the lone stakes winner in the field by virtue of his Louisiana Cup Juvenile victory on Aug. 3 at Louisiana Downs, and the Beyer Speed Figure of 77 he earned ranks as the top number put up by any 2-year-old in the Mid-South region of Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas so far in 2019.

The Evangeline Downs Prince, at six furlongs, is the final stakes of the meet that ends Thursday. It’s part of a nine-race card that opens with an allowance turf sprint that drew Diamond Cutter and Tensas Thought, the one-two finishers in the Louisiana Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

Scotty Boy leads a field of six that includes X Clown and Free Indeed, who ran a respective second and third in a $75,000 division of the D.S. “Shine” Young Futurity last month at Evangeline; Elusive d’Oro, a $300,000 yearling purchase at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky last October; and Thirsty Wildcat, a half-brother to stakes winner Imma Bling, who runs in a Saturday night allowance at Remington Park.

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“There’s several nice horses in there,” said Ronnie Ward, who owns and trains Scotty Boy.

KEY CONTENDERS

Scotty Boy, by Fast Anna

Last 3 Beyers: 77-45-40

◗ Scotty Boy enters off an 8 1/2-length win in the Louisiana Cup Juvenile. He was prominent throughout while covering six furlongs in 1:11.46. The win was Scotty Boy’s second from three starts, as he took his career debut wire to wire in a May 25 maiden special weight at Evangeline.

“He’s done better for us being on the front, but he’s maturing and he will come from off of it,” Ward said. “So, we’re going to take it as it comes, see how the race sets up.”

◗ Alex Castillo has the mount from post 4.

“I love the gate we got,” Ward said.

Thirsty Wildcat, by Stay Thirsty

Beyers: 37, 55

◗ He was a sharp maiden special weight winner in his debut June 27 at Lone Star Park, then ran fifth last out in the $65,000 Prairie Juvenile on July 26 at Prairie Meadows.

“He was a little fractious behind the gate last time, then had a bad start,” trainer Danny Pish said. “He still performed okay. We’re hoping for a little better break.”

◗ Diego Saenz has the mount from post 5.

Elusive d’Oro, by Elusive Quality

Beyers 57-61

◗ He was second in a maiden special weight at Churchill Downs in his last start June 28, finishing in front of next-out stakes winner Deviant.