11/29/2025..OPELOUSAS, LA – Evangeline Downs held a pair of trials for the LQHBA Breeders Derby on Saturday night. The finals for the $100,000-added stakes will be contested on the closing night card December 20. The trials were contested over the 350-yard distance over a fast track. The LQHBA Breeders Derby is for 3-year-old Louisiana-breds.
THE FINALS ARE PART OF THE DECEMBER 20 MILLION NIGHT CARD
Fans were treated to a spirited duel as Gold Gun Z prevailed over San Lorenzo Chrome to be the fastest qualifier for the LQHBA Breeders Derby. Jockey Noe Castaneda and Gold Gun Z broke like a rocket and were able to create some separation from San Lorenzo Chrome in the opening strides. The two runners battled all the way to the wire but Gold Gun Z would not be denied and held on for the victory by a head. The winner stopped the timer in a flashy time of 17.621 seconds and earned a speed index of 98.
Gold Gun Z is owned by Party Time Racing (Jerry Deville and Jose Espinosa) and trained by Jose Espinosa. Fourth in the 2024 Million behind San Lorenzo Chrome, he wins for the sixth time in 12 career starts. The winning purse of $6,000 increases his career earnings to $323,654.
The bay gelding was bred by Slash Z Quarter Horses and is sired by Gold Heart Eagle V. He is out of the Tres Seis mare Cf Smokin Gun.
Listed below are the 10 fastest qualifiers for the LQHBA Derby from the fastest time down.
1 Gold Gun Z Noe Castaneda Jose Espinosa 17.621
2 San Lorenzo Chrome Arturo Alvarez Juan Garcia 17.642
3 Moneys On Federico Vargas Vann Haywood 17.819
4 Your Wagon Or Mine Rene Hernandez Juan Manual Vidal 17.955
5 Beleavin Pedro Chavarria Espinosa Kenneth Roberts, Sr. 17.955
6 Xdw Jess a Rogue Jorge Javier Garcia Luis Martinez, Jr. 17.958
7 Blackjack Tlc Ubaldo Luna Brenda Foster 17.986
8 Hes Bold as Corona Jorge Havier Garcia Luis Martinez, Jr. 18.068
9 Freighttrain Lee Victor Manuel Miranda Santiago Garcia 18.159
10 Fast Dashin Lou Juan Francisco Garcia, Jr. Larry Keith 18.222
Live racing resumes on Wednesday with a 5:35pm first post. The Evangeline Downs Quarter Horse season runs through December 20.
For more information on Evangeline Downs visit the track’s website athttps://evangelinedowns.boydgaming.com/racing.
Evangeline Downs information can also be found on Twitter @EVDracing and on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/EvangelineDownsRacing.
About Evangeline Downs Racetrack& Casino
Encompassing over 750 acres, Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation, features over 39,000 square feet of casino space as well a racetrack that boasts state-of-the-art facilities with a 7/8-mile turf track and a one mile main track. The casino includes over 1,000 slot and video poker machines, two dining options, and plenty of meeting space including track-side private club suites. Evangeline Downs also includes a newly opened FanDuel Sportsbook. For more information, visit www.evangelinedowns.com and connect onFacebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Founded in 1975, Boyd Gaming Corporation is a leading geographically diversified operator of 28 gaming entertainment properties in 10 states, and manager of a tribal casino in northern California. The Company is also a strategic partner and 5% equity owner of FanDuel Group, the nation’s leading sports-betting operator.
