Borel edges Albarado to win the 2007 Cajun Jockey Challenge at Evangeline Downs
Opelousas, Louisiana –Calvin Borel, winner of this year’s Kentucky Derby aboard Street Sense, and the ESPY Award for outstanding rider, added another chapter to his dream season, winning the Inaugural Cajun Jockey Challenge at Evangeline Downs on Friday evening.
Borel, broke a three-way tie between himself, Robby Albarado, and Kerwin Clark by outfinishing Albarado to win the fourth and final leg of the contest, the $50,000 Cajun Jockey Starter Handicap aboard Marion’s Man ($15.60). Said Borel after the Challenge “This was sweet revenge, at the top of the stretch when Robby and I rallied to the front, I yelled over to him, let’s go!” Borel further stated “It’s hard to put into words how much this experience meant to me and all the riders who participated, like most of us, we spent the formative years of our lives and careers riding with and learning from these guys, this is and always will be home and to come back and be able to compete and win this event in front of the people who helped all of us get started and to see the enthusiastic response from the crowd was awesome.”
Under the format of the competition, riders received points each time they finished in the top three and with three different riders winning the first three legs, it all came down to the final leg and the crowd got all that they could ask for as Borel and Albarado staged a stretch-long duel reminiscent of the Preakness Stakes in which Albarado was able to nudge Curlin past Borel and Street Sense in the closing strides. Borel received a beautiful crystal trophy commemorating his victory in addition to the $5,000 first prize and possibly even more important, bragging rights.
Borel started things off with a bang winning the first leg aboard Evacuation ($29.20). Employing a typical “Boo-Rail” ride, Borel was able to maneuver Evacuation to the rail despite starting from the outside post #12 in the six-furlong event, saving ground the entire way, Borel delighted his fans as he snuck past the pacesetters in the final furlong to win by 2 ? lengths. Larry Melancon finished second with Big Eyed Malagra. Tracy Hebert was placed third aboard Thesilverofficer after the Disqualification of the original third place finisher Duclaw from that position.
Albarado captured the second leg with the much-improved Oriza ($10.40) winning the seven-furlong race in front-running fashion by seven lengths. A pair of 20-1 longshots rounded out the top three as Gerard Melancon finished second with Secret Buckle, with Curt Bourque checking in third aboard Worlds of Class.
Kerwin Clark, the other Boo-Boo in the event, scored one for the home team as he rallied Kitty Violet ($10.40) from far back to win the third leg. Clark, who rode his first of more than 2,200 lifetime wins in 1975 at Evangeline Downs, timed the run of Kitty Violet to perfection as the daughter of Pancho Villa just got up in the final strides. Louisa Lee, the only favorite to cross the wire in the first three (Thesilverofficer was placed 3rd in the first leg) was second for B. J. Hernandez Jr., the 2004 Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey. Mark Guidry, who recently announced his plans to retire in November after thirty-two years in the saddle, was third with Diamond Annie.
Here’s the complete order of finish for the 2007 Inaugural Cajun Jockey Challenge: 1. Calvin Borel ($5,000 and a crystal trophy); 2. Robby Albarado ($2,500); 3. Kerwin Clark ($1,000); 4. Larry Melancon; 5. B. J. Hernandez Jr.; 6. Gerard Melancon; 7. Curt Bourque; 8. Mark Guidry; 9. Tracy Hebert; 10. Corey Lanerie; 11. Steve Bourque; 12. E. J. Perrodin.
The tiebreaker (total mutuel w/p/s/ payoffs of all mounts separated Melancon and Hernandez Jr. for fourth and fifth places.
Borel, a forty-year-old native of St. Martin from a racing family, older brother Cecil is a Kentucky-based trainer, has won more than 4,350 races in his career which began in 1982 in South Louisiana. He now resides in Louisville, Ky. and rides primarily in Kentucky and Arkansas.
Racing continues on a Wednesday thru Saturday schedule with a post time of 6:20 p.m. each evening.
For more information contact Evangeline Downs at 337 594-3000.
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