Entry tough in stakes Opelousas

Lemondropsmypop and Rebel Queen, each stakes placed in their last two starts, make up a powerful entry trained by Wiley Shirey and should rule a solid favorite in the $75,000 Opelousas Stakes at Evangeline Downs. A dozen 2-year-old fillies, including a second entry, will go six furlongs in the evening's ninth race.

Rebel Queen has never finished worse than fifth in her five starts, including runner-up performances in both the filly division of the $140,000 D.S. "Shine" Young and the John Franks Memorial Sales Stakes here in late July. The daughter of K One King also has looked as comfortable running with the early pace as she has in making one run. John Jacinto, aboard for Rebel Queen's two stakes tries, has the return call.

Lemondropsmypop will be returning to the main track after finishing third in the Princess and second in the Donnie Wilhite Memorial Stakes over the Louisiana Downs turf. The last time she raced over dirt, Lemondropsmypop was a popular 7 1/4-length winner of a maiden race here June 3. Iram Diego will handle the riding chores.

Steve Asmussen will send out the entry of Midif and Happyfromthegitgo. The latter defeated Rebel Queen in the Shine Young Futurity before reporting home third in the Louisiana Cup Juvenile at Louisiana Downs. Shane Sellers, who continues to be the hottest rider on the grounds, has the call.

Midif, whose lone win came in one of the qualifying trails for the Shine Young, has been idle since the finals on July 4. She continues to train forwardly for her return and will be ridden by Gerard Melancon.

Others in the field include Deltalicious, third in the Shine Young and the winner of the Louisiana Cup Juvenile filly division, and Time Due, whose one start was a maiden score by a remarkable 17 lengths.