Star Guitar lined up for Evangeline Mile title defense

Star Guitar will square off against eight foes Saturday night as he attempts to defend his title in the $100,000 Evangeline Mile. The reigning Louisiana-bred horse of the year, who is trained by Al Stall Jr., Star Guitar will be venturing outside the statebred ranks for the first time since a fourth place performance in the Grade 3 Lone Star Mile in late April. A 5-year-old son of Quiet American, he will also be sporting a new pilot as Jesse Campbell takes over for the recently retired Curt Bourque. Campbell will make up most of the starting highweight’s assigned 123 pounds under the handicap conditions.
Ranked next in the weights at 118 pounds is King Dan, who is coming off a fifth place finish in the Grade 2 Cornhusker Handicap at Prairie Meadows. King Dan also ran in the Lone Star Mile, reporting home two positions behind Star Guitar in sixth. Trainer Dallas Keen has named Tracy Hebert to ride.
Ide Like a Double and Grey Papillon will each carry 117 pounds in this year’s edition of the Mile. Both are coming off seven-furlong sprint victories with Ide Like a Double capturing the Oak Hall Stakes here last month and Grey Papillon having accounted for a starter allowance at Louisiana Downs on July 25. John Jacinto will ride Ide Like a Double while Diego Saenz will be on board Grey Papillon.