Two favorites resume rivalry in Mile

Iron Fist and Fear the Cowboy figure to start as the top choices Saturday night in the $100,000 Evangeline Downs Mile, but the connections of both horses have a healthy respect for the competition in the meet’s marquee race. The field of eight also includes last-out Churchill Downs winners Rocket Time and Dan the Go to Man as well as Louisiana stakes winners Grande Basin and Mageez.

“I think it’s a very competitive race,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains Iron Fist.

“I know there are a couple of tough horses,” said Efren Loza Jr., who trains Fear the Cowboy.

Iron Fist and Fear the Cowboy, who won last year’s Evangeline Mile, are familiar rivals. They met in February at Sam Houston and ran one-two in the $100,000 Maxxam Gold Cup.

The Evangeline Mile will share a card with the $50,000 Lafayette for Louisiana-bred 3-year-olds who have never won a stakes. Tigerstorm will be looking for his third straight win when he starts in the seven-furlong race. He is coming off allowance victories at six furlongs in March at Fair Grounds and in May at Louisiana Downs. Gerard Melancon has the mount for trainer Jim Hodges.

EVANGELINE MILE, RACE 8 KEY CONTENDERS

Iron Fist, by Tapit Last 3 Beyers: 96-96-95

◗ He was third to Grade 1 winner Mor Spirit in the Grade 3, $200,000 Steve Sexton Mile in his last start May 7 at Lone Star Park. Texas Chrome, who finished second, returned last Sunday and finished second in the Grade 3, $200,000 Lone Star Park Handicap. Iron Fist passed on that race in favor of the Evangeline Mile.

“The race just came back a little too quick,” said Asmussen. “We wanted the extra week for him.”

◗ Iron Fist became a stakes winner in the Maxxam Gold Cup and has run second or third in six graded stakes while compiling career earnings of $599,799. He is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Sweet Lulu and a full brother to Grade 2 winner Anchor Down.

“I like him a lot,” Asmussen said. “He’s a class horse.”

◗ Melancon has the mount from post 8.

Fear the Cowboy, by Cowboy Cal Last 3 Beyers: 83-92-90

◗ He won the Grade 3 Skip Away by three lengths over Zulu in March at Gulfstream Park. From there, Fear the Cowboy was able to catch a flight to New Mexico, where he was one of the top choices in the $150,000 Sunland Park Handicap on April 16. Fear the Cowboy finished eighth in a rare off-the-board finish for the three-time stakes winner.

“I didn’t have an excuse after the race,” Loza said. “He came back good. He scoped clean. I think the altitude of New Mexico hurt the horse. I think my mistake was I shipped about two weeks before that race. Next time I ship a horse there, it will be one day before.”

◗ Fear the Cowboy has since settled in at Evangeline.

“He likes this track,” Loza said. “He’s 2 for 2 on this track.”

◗ Jesus Rios has the mount from the rail.