Mystery Train rolls into town for Evangeline Mile

OPELOUSAS, La. – Saturday’s $100,000 Evangeline Mile has a distinctive regional flavor with one notable exception, the California invader Mystery Train. Last seen setting the pace in the Grade 3 Precisionist Stakes at Santa Anita earlier this month, the 5-year-old Argentina-bred is in the middle of a cross-continental tour.

“He is being relocated to Canada, and this spot was on the way,” trainer Darrell Vienna said from his Southern California base Wednesday.

This will not be Mystery Train’s first trip to Louisiana, as he narrowly missed posting a front-running score in the Grade 3 Mineshaft at Fair Grounds in New Orleans this spring.

“I actually brought him back for the New Orleans Handicap, but he got sick, so we had to scratch him,” Vienna said.

Although winless in five U.S. starts, Mystery Train was victorious eight times in his home country, including two Group 1 wins in his last three starts there. He has earned more than $450,000, the vast majority of it in South America.

“He’s a nice horse,” Vienna said. “He was voted like the equivalent of their Horse of the Year.”

Vienna said Mystery Train’s biggest asset is his high turn of early foot.

“There does seem to be some speed in the race,” he said. “Ide Be Cool looks to be primary speed, but I expect us to be on or just off the early pace.”

:: DRF Live: Get real-time updates and insights from DRF reporters and handicappers on Saturday

Evangeline Mile (race 6)

Key contenders

Stormdriver (Last 3 Beyers: 96-87-77)

* Is 2 for 2 since his underrated barn took over the training chores, including a sharp score in the John Henry Stakes last month. The resulting 96 Beyer Speed Figure is the best anyone in here has posted this year. The fourth-place finisher in that stakes, Galveston Harbor, who returns today, has since flattered Stormdriver’s effort with a win at Louisiana Downs.

* One-run sort could not have asked for a better pace scenario as virtually all the major contenders appear to want the early advantage.

Mystery Train (Last 3 Beyers: 74-94-0)

* Still looking to recapture some of the magic he displayed last year. Came closest in his last trip to Louisiana in February. It’s hard to get around all the graded and group symbols on his page as he is the class of the field.

* Picks up the services of leading rider Colby Hernandez, who continues to win at a ridiculous rate. Who better to guide a shipper around?

:: Evangeline Turf Sprint: Watch live video of Saturday’s card from Evangeline Downs

Opelousas Stakes (race 5)

Key contenders

Our Quista (Last 3 Beyers: 77-44-79)

* Bounced back last time from a rare subpar performance in which she did not appear to handle a drying-out strip. Her lone turf start came locally when she outran her price.

* The filly who beat her last time came back to win a minor stakes at Will Rogers Downs and most recently ran a good second in last Monday’s Grade 3 Winning Colors at Churchill.

* When she trains well, she usually runs well, and that 46.80-second half-mile Tuesday was “effortless,” per a text from one of her connections.

Tensas Harbor (Last 3 Beyers: 86-82-87)

* Solid statebred mare almost always shows up. Equally effective over turf or dirt, and as a 5-year-old, she is as good as ever.