Set-Hut's phenom Touchuponastar set the pace and turned back Tumbarumba's far-turn bid to win his second $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic Saturday at Fair Grounds.
The 4-year-old Star Guitar gelding out of the Lion Heart mare Touch Magic was bred by Coteau Grove, along with the second- and third-place finishers, Tumbarumba and Cosmic Train.
When the top two Classic finishers went eyeball to eyeball in the far turn, it was only a matter of a few strides before Touchuponastar put Tumbarumba away and quickly took an insurmountable three-length advantage. Tumbarumba never stopped trying to re-engage, making up ground late.
Trained by Jeff Delhomme and guided by jockey Tim Thornton, Touchuponastar finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of Tumbarumba and covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.12.
“He's all class,” Thornton said. “I knew when he got away clean in the first jump that they were going to have to run today to beat him. I was in-hand waiting. He's such a great horse, they've done such a great job with him. It's a joy to ride him.”
With a lifetime record of 13-10-2-1 and $618,100 in purses, the question remains could former NFL quarterback Jake Delhomme's Touchuponastar step out of Louisiana and take on top stakes routers.
“The Louisiana breeders program is so great over here,” trainer Jeff Delhomme said. “It gives us the opportunity to run for the money. We don't need to chase the money. We can stay right here. Would we like another chance next year in the Steve Sexton (G3) [in which Touchuponastar was second May 29 at Lone Star Park]? Yes. Maybe try him [March 23] in the New Orleans Classic (G2)? Yes. I don't think we need to go far to take on better competition, but I think all these Louisiana-breds are giving us all we can handle right now.”
On hand in the winner's circle, Keith and Ginger Myers of Coteau Grove Farms were able to witness a few of the best of their breeding program run first, second, and third in the Classic.
“What's special is where we are,” Keith Myers said. “We're here at home in Louisiana. We're very close to Jake (Delhomme), and we see the Delhommes as our family. Having success together makes it more special. To have three who were bred at the farm run one, two, three–it's quite rewarding. Touchuponastar was big and athletic (as a yearling), but I don't remember having thoughts that this was going to be the one. Really it was a little bit of a surprise.”
Set-Hut's Louisiana Champions Day success continued later on the card as Mangum surged late to win the $100,000 Sprint.
Finishing a half-length back, Bron and Brow survived a steward's review to secure place honors. Trained by Jeff Delhomme, Mangum covered the six furlongs in 1:10.83.
“Jake (brother Delhomme) studied the Form last night,” Jeff Delhomme said. “And the best numbers he threw were sprinting at Evangeline and Delta so we took a chance (running in the Sprint) and it worked out. We've got the entire family here. Winning big races on a day like this is like a dream come true.”
Winner of the Jacob V. Morreale going one-mile 70 yards over opening weekend, Mangum was guided by Corey Lanerie in both stakes scores.
“Hats off to the entire team,” Lanerie said. “They had this horse ready. He was a lot better than the last time I rode him. We took a lot of dirt early and I was running out of goggles. We had to find somewhere to go. I was rerouting. We found a hole and luckily we had the horse to do it. It's fun when you get there in time because a lot of times you don't.”
In the mix against a full field of 14, bettors backed Mangum to the tune of 9-2. He returned $11.
With the Sprint score, the rising 3-year-old by Mo Tom boasts a 12-7-1-3 lifetime record totaling $315,360 in purse earnings.
According To Design Behemah Star Shines In Turf
With little early speed signed on for $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Turf, Brittlyn Stable homebred Behemah Star stole to the front ahead of the far turn and turned back Who Took the Money in the final stages to win by 1 1/4 lengths.
Trainer Shane Wilson had cross-entered the Star Guitar gelding in the Classic, but opted for the Turf.
“This was the total plan,” Wilson said. “We entered in both races. Earlier in the week I got beat on the turf when speed went to the front and we tried to be tactical but they didn't come back to us. I handicapped this race and didn't see any speed in here so we decided to go in this spot. (Behemah Star) had run once on the turf and he was forward to run second. We wanted to do something similar again today. It worked out.”
Ridden by jockey Jose Guerrero, Behemah Star pressed the pace through the first two calls and covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.76.
“The plan was to get him out aggressively from the gate,” Guerrero said. “It worked pretty well. I was able to get in a perfect spot behind the inside horse and he slowed down so I slowed down with him, saving energy, and when we got to the three-eighths pole he exploded and finished it off in front from there.”
Behemah Star rewarded his backers to the tune of $39.60. With a career record of 19-5-5-4, Behmah Star's first turf tally upped his bank to $309,821.
Ova Charged Survives Photo For Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint Threepeat
Employing her signature stalking speed, Brittlyn Stable's homebred Ova Charged beat Basalt Street by a thin lip to take her third $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint in a row. Stablemate Spirited Beauty ran third.
Together with Behemah Star's Turf win, Brittlyn Stable added two on the day for a record 17 Louisiana Champions Day victories in 33 years of running
By the Star Guitar, the Shane Wilson trainee ran the six furlongs in 1:10.67. At 7-5 under jockey Jose Guerrero, Ova Charged has now won nine times in 12 outings with one place-finish, racking up $428,780 in purses along the way.
Free Like Q Girl Wires Distaff
Leading the pack of fillies at every call, Gerald Bruno Jr., Chasey Deville Pomier, and Jerry Caroom's Free Like a Girl proved much the best wiring the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Distaff.
Holding off all advances, the 4-yar-old daughter of El Deal rolled down the homestretch as A G's Charlotte scrambled to get second, a distant 4 3/4 lengths back.
Trainer Chasey Pomier had entered the versatile filly in both the Distaff and the Sprint, and just like ahead of her score last out in the Doris Hebert, it was a last-minute decision.
With Vicente Del-Cid back in the irons, Free Like a Girl covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.49.
The recently minted millionaire added $60,000 to bump her bankroll to $1,066,578 and her career record to a hard-knocking 32-15-8-4. They knew, making Free Like a Girl the 8-5 favorite. She returned $5.20 for the win.
Good And Stout Just Good Enough In Juvenile
C.J. McMahon's first win at the meet came on the center stage as he guided Whispering Oaks Farm's Good and Stout to victory in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile winner's circle.
Going six furlongs in 1:12.22, the son of Coal Front held off the late rail rally of El Dinero by a nose. Trained by Carol Castille, Good and Stout's freshman grade card tallies up to 5-2-1-1 along with $101,000 in the bank. Prescient backers were paid $4.80 for the victory.
Accommodate Eva Flies Late In Lassie
Flying down the center of the track late, Valene Farm's Accommodate Eva nailed Clearly a Test to win the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Lassie by three-quarters of a length.
After routing in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and finishing 10th, trainer Dallas Stewart's decision to cut back in distance proved wise.
Under Brian Hernandez Jr., Accommodate Eva was sent off at 4-1 and covered the six furlongs in 1:11.98 while improving her record to 6-2-0-1. The daughter of Munnings' maiden win came at Keeneland against open company. Accommodate Eva has bankrolled $126,230.
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