Evangeline: Devine Laughter by head

Devine Laughter, making her first start since a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Silverbulletday Stakes at the Fair Grounds meeting at Louisiana Downs in mid-January, exploited her class advantage to win Friday night's $50,000 Green Oaks Stakes at Evangeline Downs.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Devine Laughter outfinished a stubborn Matty Mite under firm handling by Tracy Hebert to prevail by a head in a time of 1:40.27 for the mile. The pacesetter, Missgallopinggulch, finished third.

Owned by Padua Stables, Devine Laughter ($3.80) won for the third time from six starts and picked up her first stakes tally. A 3-year-old daughter of Saint Ballado, she has now earned more than $101,000.