Opelousas, Louisiana –Francisco Torres, a career winner of almost 2,000 races and a perennial top-ten rider in Kentucky and Illinois for most of the past two decades is set to resume his riding career this Saturday evening at Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino.

Torres, a thirty-eight year-old native of Mexico, was issued a license by the Louisiana State Racing Commission after the Illinois State Racing Commission declared his racing license eligible for reinstatement. Torres was suspended by the Illinois Racing Commission in July, 2007 for a violation of their substance abuse policy at Arlington Park where he was second in the leading rider standings at the time of his suspension.

Torres, whose mounts have earned more than $35,000,000 and has won leading rider titles at both Turfway Park in Kentucky and at Balmoral Park in Illinois has been exercising horses in the morning for the last few weeks in preparation of his return and stated “I’m very excited about resuming my career. I’m in good shape both physically and mentally and am ready to go.”

Torres, who said he plans to ride both here and at Louisiana Downs will be represented by Derrick Ducoing, son of longtime trainer Sturges Ducoing. Torres’ first mount back is slated to be Ide Ball in Saturday evening’s third race for trainer Torey Blanchard. Ide Ball, who finished third, beaten two lengths in his last start at the Fairgrounds, is the 3-1 morning-line favorite in the 14-horse field of Louisiana bred maiden three-year-olds sprinting six furlongs for a purse of $30,000.

Torres, who rode back-to-back Kentucky Derby’s (finishing 10th aboard Celtic Warrior in 1997 for trainer Danny Hutt and 14th the following year aboard the Bill Mott trained Rock and Roll) said those two events and winning the 2000 Grade II $600,000 Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park aboard Globalize are the highlights of his career thus far. In addition to his riding exploits, Torres also portrayed legendary Panamanian jockey Braulio Baeza in the ESPN movie Ruffian in 2006.

Racing continues on a Wednesday thru Saturday schedule with a post time of 6:20 p.m. each evening.

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