Opelousas, Louisiana – The 5th annual John Franks Memorial Two-Year-Old in Training & Paddock Sale will be held at Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino on Sunday, March 18, 2007. Named for the late Louisiana Oil Baron and multiple Eclipse Award winning Owner/Breeder, the sale will offer a pair of $100,000 races restricted to two-year-olds who pass through the sales ring. Last year’s races were won by Miss Atlantic City & Tortuga Straits. Miss Atlantic City, a daughter of Stormy Atlantic, was purchased for the rock bottom price of $5,000 by Peter Cantrell and agent Keith Desourmeaux. Tortuga Straits, a son of Gold Tribute and a half brother to multiple stakes winner Tortuga Flats, was purchased for $21,000 by Karla & John Balensiefen. Each event will be run in August, 2007 at Evangeline Downs and will feature one division for colts & geldings, and one division restricted to fillies.

David A. Yount, executive Director of Racing Operations at Evangeline Downs stated “The Sale, with its strategic placing and deep talent pool, has become an important part of the racing industry as horseman throughout Louisiana as well as from neighboring jurisdictions look to restock and upgrade their stables for our upcoming spring/summer meet at Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino which begins on Wednesday, April 4th, and runs thru the traditional closing night, Monday, September 3rd, Labor Day.”

Evangeline Downs will once again utilize Stemmans, Inc.(owned by prominent Louisiana horseman Don Stemmans) to handle both the Two-Year-Old in Training & the Paddock sales as well as the preview gallop show. Charlotte Stemmans Clavier, President of Stemmans, Inc., Administrator for the Sale, stated “We set the bar pretty high at last year’s sale in terms of quality and revenue. The excitement generated at last year’s event was unlike any other I’ve been associated with in Louisiana.” Clavier further stated “Despite some inclement weather, we not only had our first ever six-figure purchase at the sale (Manhattan Model, a daughter of Smoke Glacken) purchased for $105,000 by Eric Guillot, but a total of seven other lots sold for $40,000 or more. In addition, last year’s sale featured not only a large increase in horses entered for the sale, but a quantum leap in quality. We had two-year-olds from such standout sires as Smoke Glacken, El Corredor, and Silver Deputy, who each stand in Kentucky and command a stud fee of $30,000. Other well known stallions from across the country represented in last year’s sale included Stormy Atlantic, Holy Bull Mizzen Mast, Halo’s Image, and Royal Anthem, as well as top Louisiana sires Wire Me Collect, Leestown, Gold Tribute, and Littlebitlively. As purses continue to increase in Louisiana, and especially at Evangeline Downs, we fully expect consignors to meet the demands of their customers by offering higher quality animals.”

The 2006 sale featured large gains in both total horses sold and average sales price. Out of a total of 137 two-years-olds entered in the sale, 125 were sold for a total of $1,635,400, an average of more than $12,877.00. The 2005 sale featured a total of 49 two-year-olds sold for an average price of more than $9,775.00.

The Paddock mixed sale grossed $56,900 on a total of 30 horses sold out of 37 entered for an average of $1,896.67, slightly lower than the 2005 totals of 41 horses sold for an average of $2,202.

Entry deadline for both the Two-Year-Old in Training Sale & Mixed Paddock Sale is January 8, 2007. Entry fee for the Two-Year-Old Sale is $350.00 ($500.00 after 1/08/07) with a minimum commission of $200.00. Entry fee for the Mixed Paddock Sale is $225.00 ($300.00 after 1/08/07) with a minimum commission of $100.00.

For questions or to request a Consignment Contract: Call 1-800-544-6773 or 337 234-2382.