Severe Weather Forces Evangeline Cancellation
Description:
A severe rainstorm May 30 forced Evangeline Downs officials to cancel 11 races on the 12-race card, including the $300,000 Evangeline Downs Turf Sprint and four other stakes.
Following Saturday's first race, extreme downpours and lightning in the Opelousas, La. area caused an approximate one-hour delay before the scheduled second race. Fans at the track were alerted of the official cancellation at 4:20 p.m. CDT.
Saturday's card featured five stakes races worth a total of $640,000 in purses, including the second running of the Turf Sprint, slated for the eighth race on the program. Prior to first post time, the Turf Sprint and the two other grass races were moved to the main track because of consistent rainfall that occurred earlier in the week.
"We are very disappointed to cancel today's racing program, for our fans who came out to Evangeline Downs looking forward to an exciting day of racing, but the severe conditions forced us to halt the program for the safety of all concerned," said Steve Kuypers, the vice president of Boyd Gaming, parent company of Evangeline Downs. "No immediate decision has been made regarding the rescheduling of today's stakes races."
A daily double consolation payout on the scheduled first two races returned $43 for those who correctly selected C J Behindthebar in the first race. All Pick 3 and Pick 4 wagers were refunded.