Trysting steps up to stakes

Trysting is not the most credentialed 3-year-old filly in the $50,000 Fantasia at Louisiana Downs on Saturday, but she has recency, versatility, and a favorable post working to her advantage in the six-furlong race for statebreds.

The stakes is the co-feature with the $50,000 Free Spirit's Joy for 3-year-olds bred in Louisiana.

Trysting will be making her stakes debut following back-to-back allowance wins. Her eight rivals include Master Link, the front-running winner of the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Lassie at Fair Grounds in her last start Dec. 13; and Shutupanddance, who wired the fillies division of the $133,000 D.S. "Shine" Young Memorial at Evangeline Downs in July. Trysting will break to the outside of both fillies, from post 9.

"There's a lot of pace, and she can sit back and wait on them," trainer Pat Mouton said. "She's push-button. When you call on her, she goes. She's an ideal horse for this kind of race."

Trysting last raced April 23, stalking the pace in fifth en route to a second-level allowance win for fillies and mares at six furlongs at Evangeline. In her prior start, she won a first-level allowance against 3-year-old fillies at Delta Downs.

Master Link was a 2 1/2-length winner of the Lassie. The runner-up, Warrior Maid, came back to win a first-level allowance at Fair Grounds in her next start, with a Beyer Speed Figure of 89. Master Link has been working well for her return.

Lightlightlight could go favored after a five-length win in a first-level allowance at Fair Grounds on March 21. She earned a 79 Beyer, which is the best last-race number in the Fantasia. Francisco Torres has the mount.

* Torres also will be aboard probable favorite Silent Pipe in the Free Spirit's Joy. The horse won an allowance at Evangeline last out and before that was third in the $75,000 Crescent City Derby at Fair Grounds.