The Wednesday shuttering of the Evangeline Training Center near Lafayette, La., marked the end of an era in Louisiana. The training center had previously been Evangeline Downs, the racetrack, until those operations moved to Opelousas, La. 

Carrol Castille, a prominent breeder and owner based in Louisiana, owns Evangeline Training Center. He had kept the facility operating despite losses the last several years and recently was informed costly EPA upgrades would be required by specific deadlines. 

"Today is an emotional day for so many people who have spent countless hours and made many memories at the track," said Mary Huebner, a spokesperson for Castille. "Carrol is included in that number and it was not a decision he made lightly. If Carrol didn’t have a personal, sentimental connection to the facility, the training center would not have stayed open nearly as long as it did. That being said, this decision and especially this day, has weighed heavy." 

More details to come at www.drf.com