OPELOUSAS, La. – For a simple, first-level allowance, Thursday’s $23,500 feature at Evangeline Downs brings together quite the eclectic cast. The 7 1/2-furlong affair on grass drew a field of 11, including two entrants for the main track only. Favoritism in the headliner is expected to be in the form of either recent winner Intheblinkofaneye or the Steve Flint-trained entry of D’cajun Cat and Declan’s Fast Cat. The second tier on the tote board appears to be equally busy, with several value-rich possibilities, including Irish Confidant at 10-1 on the morning line. KEY CONTENDERS Intheblinkofaneye (Last 3 Beyers: 77-80-70) ◗ Key wording in the conditions excludes statebred success, so that last win at the expense of fellow Louisiana-breds does not count against him, nor does that optional claimer two starts back. That gives him a huge advantage with regard to recent form as the gap between statebred and open company here is much smaller than in most jurisdictions. ◗ On the negative side, both those recent tallies came with him having things his own way on the front end, and things might not be so easy Thursday, especially with a possible rabbit-closer situation with the coupled entry. Even without the latter scenario, there is some sprint speed stretching out. In addition, abundant rainfall last week might have dulled the usual glibness of the local lawn during the summer, giving closers the upper hand. D’cajun Cat (Last 3 Beyers: 74-70-75) Declan’s Fast Cat (Last 3 Beyers: 65-75-67) ◗ Both halves of the entry have shown enough early lick to make things miserable for Intheblinkofaneye if they elect to go early, but Declan’s Fast Cat is the more likely one to go since he adds blinkers. The same jockey is named on both horses, so it is not certain that the entry will remain intact, but D’cajun Cat could be up to the task flying solo. Irish Confidant (Last 3 Beyers: 61-76-78) ◗ Value players looking past the two interests that will dominate the betting have several options, not the least of which is this son of the Irish-bred sire Sligo Bay who has carved out a tidy living over the Evangeline turf course over the years. This blue-collar claimer is making his third start back off a layoff, which might have him sitting on a peak performance, and his connections are enjoying a solid season. ◗ Together, rider Kirk LeBlanc and trainer Corale Richards have been clicking at a 28 percent success rate over the past two years, according to DRF’s Formulator. :: Learn more about Formulator | Follow the @DRFFormulator Twitter feed and get free Formulator facts Simple Kind of Man (Last 3 Beyers: 70-35-54) ◗ Interesting player here if for no other reason than his connections appear to have conducted a super-successful experiment last time by dragging him back to last and making one run. That new running style would serve him well Thursday given the abundance of early speed present, and his price is right at 12-1. Proper Empire (Last 3 Beyers: 67-79-80) ◗ His long-awaited return was inconclusive with an even finish sprinting on the main track, but the resulting Beyer was in the ballpark, and he broke his maiden on the grass at Fair Grounds, which carries some clout. He had a nice work between starts, so he could move forward off the surface switch.