OPELOUSAS, La. – The competition promises to be lively in Friday night’s allowance feature even before the gate opens for the five-furlong dash on grass. A full field of nine is slated to go postward, while another is entered for the main track only, and a heated battle seems likely among Ten Indian, Lollipop, and Big Top Juan for the role of favorite. While all three come in sporting solid credentials, each poses enough questions to make things interesting. Key contenders Ten Indian (Last 3 Beyers: 65-65-67) * A runaway maiden winner at Louisiana Downs in his last start, but it came 10 weeks ago over dirt. Does have a couple of starts on turf, and each was a near miss against maiden-claiming company at Fair Grounds over the winter. Trainer Al Stall’s barn does well with those coming off intermediate layoffs (23 percent, return on investment of $2.91), although his work in the mornings between starts looks just average. * It is encouraging that leading rider Colby Hernandez once again is in the saddle, as he is much in demand with two of the top five riders down due to injury. It was Hernandez who traveled upstate to ride when this one got his diploma. Lollipop (Last 3 Beyers: 83-87-66) * Argentine-bred has 14 turf starts, but it was the move to the main track two starts back that produced his two highest Beyer Speed Figures of the year. Even with a couple of uninspiring efforts on grass earlier in the meeting, his career mark over the green is 2-5-1. * Another common denominator in those last two solid efforts was the presence of young Tyler Woodley in the saddle. He has nursed this one’s speed to the maximum of late and once again appears to be in a position to control the pace. Big Top Juan (Last 3 Beyers: 67-61-40) * Has found a home on turf, posting back-to-back wins since trying it for the first time two starts ago. Those victories came against midlevel conditioned-claiming company, however, and he takes a step up into the allowance ranks Friday. * His early speed appears to have been tempered with the surface switch, and he has become more of a stalk-and-pounce type on grass. There appears to be a legitimate pace in here for apprentice Mitchell Murrill to lurk behind once again. Tupelo (Last 3 Beyers: 73-62-55) * A recent maiden winner they tried to get to the infield last time, but the race was rained off to the main. Victor Arceneaux’s barn has won with two of its last five starters trying turf for the first time, with a healthy $4.16 ROI. * His young sire has had only five offspring try grass thus far, but two of those won their first starts over the surface. Granted, it is a small data sample, but the results are promising. * Each of his Beyers in his four-race career has been better than the one before, and his most recent certainly is in the ballpark. Plus, the crafty veteran Gerard Melancon in the irons also is an asset. Intriguing longshot.