Gunnevera gelding breaks his maiden in style in Louisiana

Highstakes Hustler’s first victory was a thing of beauty.

Making his fourth career start at Evangeline Downs, the 3-year-old Gunnevera gelding sat sixth under a stranglehold down the backstretch in the race at ‘about’ one mile on the turf. As the field approached the final turn, Timothy Thornton sent Highstakes Hustler up on the outside and the gelding bred in Kentucky by Southern Comfort Farm swept into the lead without taking a deep breath, then ran away down the lane to win by three lengths.

Gunnevera’s ninth winner of 2025 was clocked in 1:37.98, paid $10.20 and earned a check for $10,800.