Evangeline Downs facts for kids

Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino is a fun place in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. It is just east of Opelousas. This spot is a racetrack where horses race and also has a casino. Boyd Gaming owns and runs the whole place.

The facility has a one-mile oval track for horse races. It also has nearly 1,000 stalls for horses. These horses are usually Thoroughbreds or American Quarter Horses. They compete in exciting flat racing events. The original track first opened on April 28, 1966. It was in Carencro, Louisiana until 2005. Then, it moved to its current home in Opelousas, Louisiana.

The Story of Evangeline Downs

How the Track Started

Evangeline Downs first opened its doors on April 28, 1966. Its original spot was in Carencro, Louisiana. This was just north of Lafayette, Louisiana. The track was located along U.S. Highway 167.

Changes in Ownership

Over the years, the track had a few different owners. In 1982, a group of people bought the track. They paid $12.4 million for it. Later, in 1985, they sold it for $16.5 million.

Facing Challenges and Reopening

The new owners soon ran into money problems. The Louisiana Racing Commission even threatened to close the track. Evangeline Downs had to close for a short time in October 1986. But it wasn't closed for long! A new owner bought the property. Races started again in April 1987.

Adding New Entertainment

In 1992, Evangeline Downs added video poker machines. This brought more fun to the visitors. However, in 1996, voters in Lafayette Parish decided to ban video poker. Because of this, the track began planning a big move. They wanted to go to St. Landry Parish. Voters there had said "no" to a similar ban.

Moving to a New Home

In 2002, a company called Peninsula Gaming bought the track. They spent $30 million to own it completely. Peninsula Gaming then moved the track to Opelousas. A new casino opened at this site in late 2003. Horse races began at the new location in 2005. Later, in 2012, Boyd Gaming bought Peninsula Gaming. This made Boyd Gaming the new owner of Evangeline Downs.

A Top-Ranked Racetrack

In 2009, a group called the Horseplayers Association of North America rated many racetracks. They looked at 65 thoroughbred tracks in North America. Evangeline Downs was ranked #6 among the top ten! This showed it was a great place for horse racing.

The Original Site Today

The old track location in Carencro found a new purpose. In 2020, it became a large distribution center for Amazon.

Exciting Sports Events

Boxing Matches

Evangeline Downs has also hosted boxing events. On November 6, 2014, a boxer named Regis Prograis fought Jeff Humphries there. Prograis won the match with a knockout in the first round!

Famous Horse Races and Jockeys

Many important moments in horse racing happened here.

• On September 5, 1977, a very famous horse named John Henry won his first big race at Evangeline Downs. He won the Lafayette Futurity. John Henry is now in the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame.

Many talented jockeys started their careers at this track. These riders became very well-known in horse racing. Some of them include:

• Robby Albarado
• Ronald Ardoin
• Calvin Borel
• Curt Bourque
• Eddie Delahoussaye
• Kent Desormeaux
• Mark Guidry
• Randy Romero
• Shane Sellers
• Ray Sibille

See also

In Spanish: Hipódromo y Casino Evangeline Downs para niños