The racecourse of Evangeline Downs is situated in the town of Opelousas in the state of Louisiana. The course opened for business on 28th April 1966 when located at Carencro, also in Louisiana, but moved to its present site at St Landrys Parish close to Opelousas in 2005, after which the former course became a training track. The track was a 6 furlong oval track, with separate 5 furlong and 8 ½ furlong chutes, using a 220 metre home straight. The principal race is the Evangeline Mile Handicap which carries almost 1/4 million dollars in prize money and is the richest race contested at the track. In 1977 the famous racehorse John Henry won his first stakes race, the Lafayette Futurity, at the track on 5th September 1977. The racecourse is now an 8 furlong oval track, with separate 7 furlong inner turf track and chutes of 7 furlongs and 10 furlongs, with 332 metre home straight spread across a 750 acre site. Today the track stages thoroughbred racing from April to September, switching to quarter horse races from October through to December.
Recent Evangeline Mile Handicap winners
2016 The Evangeline Mile Handicap was won by Fear the Cowboy ridden by Dusty Shepherd
2017 The Evangeline Mile Handicap was won by Iron Fist trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Gerard Melancon
2018 The Evangeline Mile Handicap was won by Mocito Rojo trained by Shane Wilson and ridden by Filemon Rodriguez
