Elio Barrera captured the first riding title of his young career at the recently concluded Evangeline Downs Thoroughbred meet. Juan Larrosa fended off a number of challengers in a tightly contested trainer race, while Elite Thoroughbred Racing LLC (Michele Rodriguez) repeated as champ in the owner standings.
Barrera, a 22-year-old from Guatemala in his second full season of riding, finished the season with 80 wins from 420 mounts. With 84 runner-ups and 53 shows, Barrera found the winner's circle with 19% of his mounts and lit the board with 52%. He was one of five riders to eclipse the million-dollar mark in purse earnings, topping the list at $1,585,265. Tim Thornton was second with $1,241,775, followed by Juan Vargas with $1,218,135 in third, C.J. McMahon fourth at $1,142,630 and Jose Luis Rodriguez with $1,004,570.
The top 10 jockeys for the 2024 season were: Barrera (80 wins), Thornton (62), Vargas (53), Rodriguez (48), McMahon (41), Tommy Pompell (28), Jose Guerrero (27), Joel Dominguez (25), Casey Fusilier (24), and Joe Stokes (23).
Larrosa edged clear in the final couple of nights to capture the training title with 33 wins from 157 starters. His runners were second 24 times and finished third 26 times for a 21% winning clip, 53% in-the-money, and earned a total of $574,860. Shane Wilson topped the earnings list with $698,430, followed by Bret Calhoun at $594,940 and Allen Landry at $581,455.
The complete top 10 in the trainer standings: Larrosa (33 wins), Sam Breaux (27), Eduardo Ramirez (27), Landry (26), Wilson (24), Karl Broberg (22), Sam David Jr. (22), Lee Thomas (21), and a tie for ninth between Sturges Ducoing and Calhoun with 18 winners apiece.
Elite Thoroughbred Racing, LLC repeated as champ in the owner standings with 19 wins from 102 starters. Adding in 18 seconds and 11 shows, its runners won at a 19% clip, hit the board 47% of the time, and earned a meet-topping $429,555. Brittlyn Stable Inc. (Evelyn Benoit) finished second with $316,380 and Norman Stables, LLC (Robert Norman) was third with $304,470.
The complete top 10 in the owner standings were: Elite Thoroughbred Racing, LLC (19 wins), End Athletics Inc. (16), Norman Stables, LLC (11), LJ Racing Stables LLC (11), Redwood QH Racing LLC (10), Earl Hernandez, Keith Hernandez, and John Duvieilh (10), Sandy Badeaux (10), L and G Racing Stables (9), and Whispering Oaks Farm, LLC and Brittlyn Stable, Inc. in a tie for ninth with seven wins each.
