Opelousas, Louisiana –Racing returns to South-Central Louisiana for the 42nd consecutive year as Evangeline Downs kicks off the 89 night spring/summer season on Wednesday, April 4. Coming off a record breaking 2006 which saw marked increases in both simulcast handle and total handle, and in field size average, Evangeline Downs will offer horsemen a beefed up Stakes schedule as well as daily overnight purses of approx. $150,000 a night.

The solid overnight program along with the expanded stakes schedule has brought many new faces this year as well as old friends back to Evangeline Downs. Trainer Andy Leggio and his son/assistant Nick will have a stable of 10. Leggio, made his mark on the national scene as the trainer of Happy Ticket, one of the best distaffers in North America the last three years. The recently retired Anet filly heads to the breeding shed as the all-time leading Louisiana bred with earnings of more than $1.68 million. Eddie Johnston, who has maintained a strong presence at every racetrack in the state, is here with a solid group of 19, including top state bred sprinter Zarb’s Luck. Gary Patrick, overall leading trainer in Indiana in 2006, comes with a full contingent including 20 at the Training Center and another 25 bedded down on the backstretch in an attempt to overthrow perennial leading trainer Keith Bourgeois, who has the maximum of 32 stabled locally. Howard Alonzo, formerly based at the Folsom Training Center, has brought 18 head, and Shane Wilson, former private trainer for the late John Franks, has recently opened a public stable and has a total of eight horses.

The Jockey’s room will also feature an unprecedented wealth of talent. Last year’s leading rider, Kirk Leblanc is back to defend his title, but will face stiff competition from both Gerard Melancon and Tracy Hebert. Melancon, 39, enters the meet less than 10 wins shy of career victory 3,000. A four-time leading rider at Evangeline Downs (1984, 96’, 97’, & 2000) he will ride on a permanent basis here for the first time since 2000. Also a back-to-back riding champion at Louisiana Downs in 2002 & 2003, Melancon was eighth in the leading jockey standings at the recently concluded Fairgrounds meeting. His book is being handled by ex-jockey Jerry Bourque.

Tracy Hebert, 44, who scored the 3,000th win of his illustrious career last August here at Evangeline Downs, has numerous riding titles to his credit including Turfway and Ellis Park in Kentucky and the recently concluded Delta Downs winter meet, where he was the runaway winner. Hebert is being represented by agent Louis Coco. Coco, who has partnered with many of the top riders in Louisiana racing during the past two decades, will have a potent one-two combination with Hebert, and the veteran Curt Bourque.

Other talented riders who are expected to ride the opening stages of the meet include Lonnie and Donnie Meche. The Meche brothers, near the top of the standings at the Fairgrounds, will ride until the start of Louisiana Downs, where they both finished in the top three in the leading rider standings during the 2006 meet. Jose Riquelme and Jeffrey Burningham are two others who are slated to ride daily during the first half of the season.

The season’s 18 stakes races will offer total purse money of $1.78 million.

The third edition of Legends Night, along with the Evangeline Mile, will headline the 2007 stakes calendar. The Mile, with an increase of $50,000, is the richest race of the season with a purse of $200,000. Legends Night, a stakes laden program restricted to horses bred in the Pelican state, honors those who have made an indelible impact and contribution to Evangeline Downs and racing in the state of Louisiana. This year’s edition will feature eleven stakes races worth a total of $885,000 highlighted by the two $100,000 D.S. “Shine” Young Futurities for two-year-olds. One for colts & geldings and one restricted to fillies.

Executive Director of Racing Operations David A. Yount stated “We are excited by the talent gathered here for our 42nd season. This is undoubtedly the finest group of horses and horsemen ever assembled here and we fully expect them to provide our growing fan base with the exciting and competitive racing product that Evangeline Downs is known for.”

A total of 112 horses were entered for Wednesday’s opening night 10- race program, including eight oversubscribed events. The two co-featured allowance races each drew a cast of six, with the other eight events drawing the maximum amount of starters, 10-14 depending upon the distance.

This year’s meet will once again run through the traditional closing night, Monday, September 3, Labor Day, with racing conducted Wednesday through Saturday.

Post time will be 6:20 p.m. Central on all nights.

For more information contact Evangeline Downs at 337-594-3000.