from Daily Racing Form:

Training races make a comeback

Fair Grounds handicappers will note a new wrinkle in the workout lines of many horses based at the Evangeline Training Center in Lafayette - training races.

The training center has been in operation since 2005, and can house some 2,000 horses, but the training races are a new development, according to Jason Boulet, current racing secretary at Fair Grounds and the former racing secretary at the Evangeline Downs racetrack. The races began about two months ago, occur every two weeks, and are contested over 4 1/2 furlongs.

Boulet said that Charles Ashy Jr., who runs the training center, "kind of designed the training races after the old Fair Grounds training races."

Until a few years ago, unraced horses making their career debut here at Fair Grounds were required to participate in a Wednesday morning training race before they could be entered. Ashy, Boulet said, has opened things up at Evangeline to let horses with prior race experience start in one of the training races.

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