Opelousas, Louisiana –Mikimoto’s Mojo ($7.40) rallied past the early pacesetters turning for home then pulled clear for the victory, his second in as many lifetime starts in the $125,000 Lafayette Stakes for two-year-olds at Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino on closing night, Monday, September 3, Labor Day. Ridden by veteran E. J. Perrodin, the chestnut colt by Hold That Tiger covered the six furlongs on a track labeled fast in 1:11 2/5.

Winning jockey Perrodin stated “This guy is fun to ride, he’s so talented and professional, he does everything the right way and I’m very excited about him.” Perrodin further added “I was a bit farther back in the early stages than I had planned to be as he was bouncing up and down like a kangaroo from the dirt hitting him, but once I was able to steer him to the outside just past the π mile pole and ask him to run, he grabbed the bridle and went right up to and past the leaders and really was an easy winner.”

The official margin of victory was 3 lengths.

Longshot Mr. Bubba was a clear second, more than 2 lengths ahead of the 8/5 betting favorite Possetothemax, who weakened in the stretch after battling thru the early fractions of 21 3/5 & 45 1/5, Ide Like a Double finished in 4th, followed by Yellow Meadow, West Coast Time, and Quazar. Big Erl, the previously undefeated Purely Class, and Bonzaway rounded out the order of finish. Swifty Victress was scratched.

Purchased by Stanley Seelig at the OBS Two-year-old-in-training Sale in April for $160,000, Mikimoto’s Mojo earned almost half of his purchase price back with the $75,000 winner’s share of the purse and has now bankrolled $90,000 in just two starts. Trained by Patrick Mouton, Mikimoto’s Mojo is a Kentucky bred son of Hold That Tiger, out of the Pleasant Colony mare Munch N Grass.

COSTA RISING CRUISES

Proving his double-digit romp in the Evangeline Mile was no fluke, Charles Castille Jr.’s Costa Rising dominated his overmatched rivals in the EVD Labor Day Purse. The Louisiana bred four-year-old son of Royal Strand grabbed the lead from early pacesetter High Strike Zone entering the far turn and steadily increased the margin en route to a more than 17 length victory. As the prohibitive favorite, he returned $2.20 to his many backers. Ridden by regular pilot Kerwin Clark, Costa Rising covered the mile in 1:36 3/5, just missing his own track record by 1/5th of a second.

Clinch, finished a clear second while no match for the winner. Marion’s Man was third, with High Strike Zone fading to fourth after setting the early pace of 24 1/5 and 48, the six-furlong split was 1:12 2/5. Dr Feild On Call was fifth and Watchem Smokey was eased. He’s Royal Dee and Beautify Life were scratched.

Trained by Glenn Delahoussaye, Costa Rising earned $34,920 for the win, his 12th in 19 career starts and pushed his career earnings past the $710,000 mark. He was bred locally by the Double Dam Farm LLC.

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