Devereux capable of improvement in Inaugural

Trainer Steve Asmussen's sphere of influence is literally global these days and Friday night it will be felt in Cajun country when he sends out Devereux in the $60,000 Inaugural Stakes at Evangeline Downs.

The six-furlong feature for 3-year-olds drew a field of seven and will be the ninth of 10 races on a program that gets under way at 6:20 p.m. Central.

Devereux, a Forestry colt out of the Mr. Prospector mare Born Perfect who was bred and is owned by Padua Stables, comes off a troubled seventh-place finish in his stakes debut, the one-mile Texas Heritage at Sam Houston. Prior to that effort, he won a six-furlong allowance as the favorite at Fair Grounds. Devereux was a maiden winner at Belmont Park late last summer. Donnie Meche will ride the likely favorite.

Smith B Quick, a promising Louisiana-bred colt by Erltron, has won 2 of 3 starts for trainer Morris Nicks with a solid second in the Stardust Stakes last summer sandwiched in between. He will be venturing outside the statebred ranks for the first time and making his first start of the year. Lonnie Meche, the second half of the twin brother riding tandem, has the mount.

Addicted Bay comes off an even sixth in the Grindstone Stakes over the Fair Grounds turf course in late March. Carlos Lozada has the mount for trainer Olivo Inirio.