by  Michael Chamberlain.

OPELOUSAS, LA- Sir Genghis went right to the lead and never looked back to score a victory in the $60,000 Owner’s Day Cup on Saturday night at Evangeline Downs. The win was the second stakes score of the season for the gelding, who had previously won the $60,000 Need For Speed at Evangeline Downs in June. There is an odd twist to both stakes wins for Sir Genghis this season in that both races were taken off the turf. 

Sir Genghis, who was sent off as the 6-5 betting favorite, was sent to the front by jockey Kerwin Clark right out of the gate and set solid early fractions of 24.09 seconds for the quarter-mile and 48.38 seconds for the half-mile. He received token early pressure from longshot Mr. Shad and withstood a late charge from Future Express, who ranged up on the outside on the far turn. Sir Genghis had plenty left in the tank to register a four-length victory in a final time of 1:46.14 for the 1 1/16 miles over the fast main track.

 Sir Genghis paid $4.60 to win, $3.20 to place and $2.80 to show. Future Express finished second and returned $10.40 to place and $5.80 to show. Four Leaf Chief came home third and paid $3.60 to show.

Sir Genghis is a 5-year-old gelding bred in Louisiana by Randel Stutes. He is owned by Gillian and Kirk Harris and the trainer is Chad Pitzer. He was sired by Tale of the Cat and is out of the Unbridled’s Song mare, Staria. The win is the eighth in Sir Genghis’ 26-race career. The $36,000 first-place purse increases his lifetime earnings to $271,512.

Sir Genghis:

The $60,000 Owner’s Day Distaff was also run on Saturday night at Evangeline Downs and the winner, Great Majestic, took a completely different approach to victory. She was running last in the field of six during the early stages and rallied to pass all of her competition and win impressively by three lengths in a final time of 1:47.20 for the 1 1/16 miles. 

Great Majestic was the 3-2 betting favorite in the Owner’s Day Distaff and returned $5.00 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.60 to show. Wonderful Star, who was the early pacesetter in the Distaff, held on to finish second and paid $4.80 to place and $3.20 to show. White Oak Swamp was third and paid $3.60 to show.

Great Majestic is a 4-year-old filly bred in Florida by Kinsman Farm. She was sired by Majestic Warrior and is out of the Distorted Humor mare, Great Humor. She is owned by Farm D’allie Racing Stable, trained by Allison Ramsay-Banks and was ridden to victory by Alfredo Contreras. Great Majestic has now won four of her seven lifetime starts and the $36,000 first-place purses pushes her lifetime earnings to $102,700.

Evangeline Downs will resume live racing on Wednesday night with an 11-race program to kick off the closing week of the Thoroughbred season. Post time on Wednesday is 5:50 pm Central Time.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT MICHAEL CHAMBERLAIN, 337-594-3000 EXT. 3149

For more information on the Thoroughbred season at Evangeline Downs, visit the track’s website at www.evdracing.com. Evangeline Downs’ Twitter handle is @EVDRacing and the racetrack is also accessible on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EvangelineDownsRacing.

Photo credit:  www.louisianabred.com