Additional information has come to light following the frightening incident at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, Louisiana, on Nov. 22, where a field of fast-moving Quarter Horses were forced to dodge an oncoming ambulance traveling along the inside rail.
This might well be the most terrifying near miss I’ve ever seen in a horse race. It happened at Evangeline Downs in America a few hours ago. Incredible reactions from the jockeys and horses to avoid absolute carnage. 😳 pic.twitter.com/6e3e5QpmIF
— Kevin Blake (@kevinblake2011) November 23, 2025
Javier Torres, regional manager for the Jockeys’ Guild, said he contacted track stewards on the morning of Nov. 23 to discuss the circumstances.
“Their initial take was that person driving the ambulance was new, it was maybe their second day on the job,” Torres said. “Of course, the stewards’ attention was on the horses in the starting gate, so they didn’t see the ambulance driving up the rail until everyone else did and it was too late.”
Typically, ambulances are stationed near the starting gate on the outside rail and follow the field throughout a race. However, the final event on the card was an 870-yard contest around a turn, unlike the eight earlier straight-track races. The ambulance may have been attempting to relocate to the appropriate starting point when the race began.
Remarkably, all horses avoided disaster, though jockey E.T. Vera and Kvn Valiant Corona, breaking from barrier one, were forced to make the sharpest evasive maneuver. Stewards declared the race a no-contest.
Torres said the incident has initiated an internal investigation at the track, along with a scheduled safety meeting on Friday involving jockeys, track officials, and stewards.
“In my contact with upper management, they’re committed to moving forward and creating protocols to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” Torres said. “Thank God that no equine or human athletes were injured. It can’t be undone, so the thing to do is to make sure it’s not going to happen again in the future.”
One proposal to be discussed involves having two ambulances on-site positioned at opposite ends of the track, rather than one following the field. Torres referenced studies conducted at Churchill Downs showing faster response times using two stationary units.
Another topic for review is limiting driving duties to experienced emergency personnel and ensuring new staff are paired with seasoned operators.
The Louisiana State Racing Commission is also conducting its own investigation, though LSRC executive director Stephen Landry did not respond to questions from the Paulick Report.
David Strow, vice president of corporate communications for Boyd Gaming — owner of Evangeline Downs — said: “We are committed to the safety of every jockey and equine athlete that races at our track. We are working closely with the ambulance company and the Louisiana Racing Commission to thoroughly investigate this incident.”
