TOUCHUPONASTAR CRUISES AGAIN IN $60,000 EVD CLASSIC

GEAUX SUGAR ZIPS HOME IN THE KING CREOLE 

HES LATE AGAIN CAPTURES THE RAGIN CAJUN

OPELOUSAS, LA –A festive Derby Day crowd was witness to another dominating performance by Touchuponastar in the $60,000 EVD Classic at Evangeline Downs.  The Saturday card featured a trio of stake races for Louisiana-breds and were contested over a track rated as fast.

Touchuponastar

Touchuponastar, the recent winner of the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic, did not disappoint as the overwhelming 1/9 favorite in the $60,000 EVD Classic.  The race for 3-year-olds and upward was contested at the one-mile distance.

Breaking alertly with regular rider Tim Thornton, Touchuponastar was able to clear the field into the clubhouse turn and opened a comfortable lead over Benoit.  As the champ coasted through opening splits of 24.47 seconds for the first quarter and 47.99 for the half-mile, Thornton was statuesque aboard Touchuponastar.

Nearing the top of the lane, after a six-furlong split in 1:11.99, Touchuponastar was asked to display a brief burst of speed and quickly opened a lead of four lengths.  Benoit continued to chase while holding a sizeable margin over Highland Creek.  Touchuponastar was never in danger and finished off the win four lengths in front of Benoit, with Highland Creek another 4-1/2 lengths back in third.  The winning time of 1:36.06, while never being asked for his best, was just two-fifths off the track record.

Owned by Set-Hut LLC (Jake Delhomme) and trained by Jeff Delhomme, Touchuponastar wins for the 16thtime from 22 career starts.  Earning $36,000 in the victory pushes his lifetime bankroll to $1,448,900.

Touchuponastar was bred by Coteau Grove Farms.  He is a 6-year-old gelding sired by Star Guitar and is out of the Lion Heart mare Touch Magic.

Touchuponastar paid $2.20 to win, $2.10 to place and $2.10 to show.  Benoit paid $5 and $2.40, with Highland Creek paying $2.10.  Bridge jumpers were out in full force on Touchuponastar with over $130,000 in the show pool on the winner.

Geaux Sugar

Geaux Sugar and jockey Mitchell Murrill broke sharply and led gate to wire in the $60,000 King Creole.  The race for 3-year-olds and upward was raced at the distance of 5-1/2 furlongs.

Geaux Sugar was ready from the opening bell and was quickly in front in the King Creole, with Otra Cosa, Ranch Badge and Marks Promise on the chase.  The opening split was a quick 22.11 for the opening quarter-mile for Geaux Sugar.

Exiting the turn Geaux Sugar extended the lead to just over a length and as the early chasers were demoralized, Clear as a Bele made a menacing move on the rail into contention.  Geaux Sugar was able to find just enough to hold on for a half-length win over an onrushing Clear as a Bele.  It was a wide gap of 4-3/4 lengths back to Marks Promise in third.  The winner stopped the clock in a snappy 1:03.76.

The winner is trained by Keith Bourgeois and runs for Single Malt Stable (Ralph Cox et al).  He is victorious for the 11th time in 21 career starts.  With the $36,000 winning share his lifetime earnings stand at $407,890

Bred by the team of Earl Hernandez, Keith Hernandez and John Duvieilh, Geaux Sugar is a 5-year-old dark bay or brown gelding sired by Half Ours.  He is out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Fifolet.

Geaux Sugar paid $3.80 to win, $3 to place and $2.20 to show.  Clear as a Bele returned $5.40 and $3.20, with Marks Promise paying $2.80.

He’s Late Again

He’s Late Again kicked in with a powerful stretch finish to capture the $60,000 Ragin Cajun.  The race for 3-year-olds was contested over the distance of seven furlongs.

Cool Guitar and Majority Opinion were quickest away in the Ragin Cajun, while He’s Late Again and jockey Jansen Melancon were away just a beat slow.  The field raced through the opening furlongs in a compact group with Cool Guitar a narrow leader over Majority Opinion, and He’s Late Again progressing four-wide down the backside.  The opening split was 23.35 seconds for the first quarter-mile and 46.81 for the half-mile split.

He's Late Again continued with a wide bid to engage Majority Opinion at the top of the lane, as Patience Will Pay and Star Rock Star also produced bids.  Inside the final sixteenth He’s Late Again showed an extra burst of speed and kicked clear to win by 3-1/2 lenghts.  Majority Opinion held on for second just a neck better than Patience Will Pay.  The winner stopped the timer in 1:24.02.

Trained by Allen Landry and owned by Larry Romero, He’s Late Again is a winner for the third time in five career starts.  The $36,000 winning share increases his career bankroll to $120,200.

Bred by the partnership of Nathan Granger, Shannon Luquette, Chris Hebert and Brody Trahan, He’s Late Again is a dark bay or brown gelding sired by Aurelius Maximus.  He is out of the Stephen Got Even mare Pixie Devil.

He’s Late Again returned $6.40 to win, $4.20 to place and $3 to show.  Majority Opinion paid $4.20 and $2.60 and Patience Will Pay paid $4.60.