Jockey Thornton, Trainer Landry Win Evangeline Titles

Tim Thornton led virtually wire to wire to capture the riding title at the recently concluded Evangeline Downs Thoroughbred meet. Allen Landry fended off a late stretch bid by Sam Breaux to win the trainer race, while Elite Thoroughbred Racing, LLC (Michele Rodriguez) made it a three-peat in the owner standings.

Thornton won five races over the first two cards of the meet and never relinquished the lead in winning his fourth riding title at Evangeline Downs. He finished the season with 96 victories from 385 mounts, a solid 25% winning clip. With 66 runner-up finishes and 39 shows, Thornton's rides hit the board 52% on the season. Thornton also led the jockey colony in purse earnings with his mounts collecting $2,035,840 over the 73-night season. Three other jockeys eclipsed the million-dollar mark with Jansen Melancon at $1,457,045, followed by Joel Dominguez with $1,115,960 and Elio Barrera at $1,041,130.

The complete top 10 jockeys for the 2025 season were: Tim Thornton (96 wins), Jansen Melancon (59), Joel Dominguez (57), C.J. McMahon (46), Elio Barrera (40), Colby Hernandez (40), Jose Luis Rodriguez (39), Carlos Perez (36), Thomas Pompell (32) and Juan Pablo Vargas with 24.

Trainer Allen Landry moved to the front of the standings early in the season and held off a late bid by Sam Breaux to win the training title by one victory. Landry's runners found the winner's circle 38 times from 193 starts, and added 33 seconds and 33 thirds, winning at a 20% rate and hitting the board 52% of the time. His barn was the only outfit to cross the million-dollar threshold with purse earnings of $1,062,650. Four stables did reach the half-million mark with Sam Breaux runners collecting $682,815, followed by W. Bret Calhoun with $545,780, Keith Bourgeois with $524,790 and Brett Brinkman at $520,600.

The complete top 10 in the trainer standings: Allen Landry (38 wins), Sam Breaux (37), Keith Bourgeois (29), Juan Larrosa (27), Juan Cano (26), Lee Thomas (23), W. Bret Calhoun (20), Brett Brinkman (19), Abel Ramirez-Rodriguez (16) and Cesar Govea with 14.

Elite Thoroughbred Racing, LLC made it three straight titles in owner standings with 21 wins from 115 starters. Adding in 20 seconds and 13 shows, Elite Thoroughbred runners won at an 18% clip, hit the board 47% and earned a meet topping $419,635. Norman Stables, LLC (Robert Norman) tallied the second-most with $299,040 and the team of Earl Hernandez, Keith Hernandez and John Duvieilh finished third with $243,180.

The complete top 10 in the owner standings were: Elite Thoroughbred Racing, LLC (20 wins), Juan Cano (17), L and G Racing Stables (13), and a four-way tie for fourth between End Zone Athletics Inc., South Central Stables, Norman Stables, LLC, and Larry Romero with 10 wins.  There was a logjam in a tie for eighth as well with Hernandez, Hernandez and Duvieilh, Sandy Badeaux, Redwood QH Racing LLC and Ovidio Del Cid Orantes with 8 wins each.

Evangeline Downs will be dark for a few weeks. Live racing resumes with the start of the American Quarter Horse meet on Wednesday, October 1. Post time for the 46-day season will be at 5:35pm Central Time.