When the Triple Crown comes to a close and summer begins at racetracks across the country, fans and participants in the Thoroughbred racing industry start searching the 2-year-old crop for the next set of Kentucky Derby (G1) hopefuls.
One place that likely went unchecked in that search was Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, La. That was where a dark bay son of Coal Front debuted a 3 1/2-length winner July 25 to little fanfare outside of the local community. Ten months later, that colt, Coal Battle, is among the 20 starters in the nation's greatest race.
Coal Battle's story of working his way up from a maiden win at Evangeline and stakes victories at Delta Downs and Remington Park to the Kentucky Derby trail at Oaklawn Park has captured the hearts and attention of the general racing public. That success has turned his Louisiana-based trainer, Lonnie Briley, as well as owner Robbie Norman and jockey Juan Vargas, into stars.
That added attention is good news for the Louisiana racing and breeding industry, who are all celebrating Team Coal Battle's success from afar.
"We absolutely get behind and pull for our native sons," said trainer Benard Chatters, president of the Louisiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association. "Everybody knows you have some fine horsemen down here. They may not get a chance with the highly-bred horses sometimes, but they know how to take care of their racehorses and they love the horses. Here it is, proof is in the pudding."
Chatters, who is stabled in the barn next door to Briley and has experienced the big stage while racing Holy Heavens in the 2011 Kentucky Oaks (G1), said that Coal Battle and his connections have been the "talk of the clockers' stand" in recent months as they navigated the deep competition waters out of state.
"We're very happy for him. Lonnie is a sharpshooter. People are just tickled pink and hoping," Chatters said. "Even though we're very competitive with each other, what would be a better story for the game? He's not a $5,000 horse, but a $70,000 purchase that can get in there and have a real legitimate shot on the big day is a big achievement. We're happy and proud and want to support them, too. Anything we can do to help them, we're 100% behind them."
Juan Vargas, who will ride Coal Battle in his first Kentucky Derby ride, has felt that love from his friends and peers.
"I get a lot of calls and texts," Vargas said. "Normally, I go to the track in the mornings to work, and a lot of people are wishing me good luck and good luck to the team.
"A lot of people are talking about him and they're pretty excited. They're excited for everybody. Evangeline is a humble track. Everybody works hard every day. Now, a horse for Louisiana, people are so happy for the horse. They let me know how happy they are. It feels good."
Jockey Corey Lanerie, a 19-time leading rider at Churchill Downs, grew up on the Evangeline backstretch. He described the community as tight-knit.
"Horses like him don't come around very often in a lot of parts of the country, especially for down there," Lanerie said. "They don't spend the money that some of the other people might for horses like that. To come across them is very rare. ... It's just a blessing and I'm just happy for him. It's late in his career. Not many people get to experience this. It's fun to watch."
Lanerie's career as a jockey, which has included over 5,000 wins, got off the ground thanks to Briley. Lanerie's dad worked for Briley when he was the farm trainer for four-time Eclipse Award-winning owner John Franks.
Lanerie said his dad was nervous to put him on horses, afraid he'd get injured. Briley would leg Lanerie up while his dad wasn't around.
"I was in the gates one time and my dad came," Lanerie recalled. "He hollers at (Briley) and says, 'You're gonna kill him.' Then I broke out of the gates and the rest is history."
That positive impact from Briley has expanded throughout the Louisiana racing community, making it even easier for them to root for his success in Kentucky.
"They're good, everyday hard-working horsepeople that are committed to the game, the horses, and the industry," Chatters said about Briley, assistant trainer Bethany Taylor, and the whole team. "They deserve it as much as anybody, probably more."
If Evangeline could be known for producing future stars, it is usually on the jockey side. In addition to Lanerie, riders like Calvin Borel, Eddie Delahoussaye, and Kent Desormeaux have used the track as an important career stepping stone.
Seeing a star horse emerge from the track is not impossible. The great John Henry, 1981 and 1984 Horse of the Year, won his first stakes race at the old Evangeline Downs in Carencro, La., in the 1977 Lafayette Futurity. Wild Again, winner of the first Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) in 1984, also won a race at Evangeline early in his career.
The inspiring story of the small-time connections finally getting a good horse to fall in their hands has inspired many in the Louisiana Circuit, including Chatters. Chatters said he has several promising 2-year-olds in his barn and encourages his employees to use Briley and his team as motivation.
"We may have that horse next year," Chatters tells his workers. "That can be us next year. Lonnie's in the barn right next door and it can happen. Just hang in there, keep working, keep pushing, and keep dreaming. He's got our support, our prayers, and our hopes right there with him."
"Everybody likes to see the little guy win," Lanerie said. "For a long time, Lonnie was the little guy, not a whole lot of horses. To see a guy like him get a horse like this and the opportunity, I'm certainly pulling for him, and I think everybody else is."
Coal Battle may not be a Louisiana-bred, having been foaled in Kentucky, but Chatters said he essentially has become and adopted member of the Louisiana-bred family. A victory in the Derby would be a victory for the whole state as his sire, Coal Front, is standing his first season in Louisiana at Red River Farms for a $2,000 fee.
"I think that this will be another foot forward for us here in Louisiana," said Chatters. "The Louisiana HBPA, we're constantly trying to do all kinds of things to promote everyday, average horsemen in the state. This definitely would be an emphasis for the development and fight to stay in the game.
"It's going to show people that those people can get the horse ready for the big races, all they need is the horse and the opportunity. Maybe some day people will figure that out in mass and start spreading out some of those nice horses."
