Lifelovenlaughter made a triumphant return to the races with a determined score in Friday’s seventh at Laurel Park, a second-level allowance for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

The Maryland-bred 5-year-old mare had not raced since January and hadn’t found the winner’s circle since June of last year, but she looked sharp and well-prepared for trainer Michael Trombetta and owner-breeder Stuart Grant’s The Elkstone Group LLC.

Breaking sharply under jockey Mychel Sanchez, Lifelovenlaughter settled in a few lengths behind the early pace along the rail, as Bay Street doled out fractions of 48.84 seconds for a half-mile and 1:12.21 for six furlongs.

Lifelovenlaughter saved ground around the far turnand was guided to the three path turning for home. Inside the final furlong, she surged between horses to take command and gamely held off the rallying Next Girl to win by a half-length in a final time of 1:42.21 on firm turf.

“I got a really good trip,” said Sanchez. “I broke sharp, took her back a little bit, and just sat on the rail, waiting for the moment. She came through. She never quit. I always felt confident she was going to win. Although the other one was closing all the way around, I felt like she was just fighting, fighting. She did good.”

Lifelovenlaughter, a daughter of Lemon Drop Kid out of Too Foofoo for You, improved her career record to 4 wins from 18 starts and pushed her earnings to $246,425.

She returned $5.00 to win as the 3-2 favorite. Next Girl paid $6.00 to place and $4.00 to show, while Bay Street, who set the early pace, settled for third and returned $4.20. The $1 exacta paid $17.30, the $1 trifecta returned $88.90, and the $1 superfecta with Past Tense in fourth was worth $213.50.

One race later, On the Mark and Tais Lyapustina wore down Haileysfirstnotion (Jean Briceno) to win a third-level allowance by a head in 1:10.55 for six furlongs on a fast main track. Trained and owned by Joanne Shankle, On the Mark has won seven of 23 starts and earned over $270,000. He paid $22.00 to win.