TOUCHUPONASTAR WINS HIS FOURTH CONSECUTIVELOUISIANA PREMIER NIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP AT DELTA DOWNS
THE ANNUAL EVENT ATTRACTED A LARGE CROWD AND OVER $900,000 IN PURSES
-Don Stevens, Delta Downs Racing
VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs hosted the 23rd edition of Louisiana Premier Night on Saturday and fans were treated to an 11-race program that featured more than $900,000 in total purse money for horses bred in the Bayou State.
The featured race on the card was the $150,000 Louisiana Premier Night Championship for 4-year-olds and up competing at 1-1/16 miles. The overwhelming favorite for the event was Touchuponastar, who was attempting to win his fourth straight Championship under jockey Tim Thornton and owner Set-hut LLC.
Touchuponastar broke from the outside post in a field of five and was sent toward the front where he is accustomed to running, but he did not lead in the initial strides. Instead, it was longshot A Million Moons who set the early fractions of 23.38 seconds for the quarter mile and 46.88 for the half mile while being pressed by Touchuponastar.
When the field reached the far turn, Touchuponastar took over the lead with ease and began to build his advantage stride by stride for the rest of the trip while stopping the timer in 1:11.58 for three quarters of a mile. In the homestretch Thornton looked over his shoulder but there was no competition, as he reported home in front of stablemate Mangum by 11-1/2 lengths. Tdzshininluckystar rounded out the top three, finishing 1-1/2 lengths behind the runner-up in third.
Touchuponastar covered the distance in a final time of 1:44.03 while running on a fast track.
The win by Touchuponastar was his 20th from 27 overall starts. He added another $90,000 to his bankroll which now stands at $1,760,000. That total surpassed his sire Star Guitar, who deposited $1,749,862 during his illustrious career. Star Guitar’s total stood as a record for a Louisiana-bred for several years before the mare Free Like a Girl posted a mark of $2,565,628, which is the current record.
Touchuponastar was bred in Louisiana by Coteau Grove Farms. He is a 7-year-old bay gelding by Star Guitar, out of the Lion Heart mare Touch Magic. He was purchased for $15,000 at the 2020 Texas Summer Sale.
Sent off at odds of 1-9, Touchuponastar paid $2.10 to win and $2.10 to place. There was no show wagering. Mangum paid $2.10 to place.
This year’s $125,000 Distaff featured a field of just two fillies and one mare, after four other entrants were scratched before race time. The eventual winner, Nodah, was the longest shot on the board at 10-1 odds as she sat just behind the front runners, Secret Faith and Supa Speed. In the homestretch jockey Edward Santiago asked Nodah for her best and she rallied past her rivals to score the win for trainer Benard Chatters and owner Kenneth Roberts Racing Stables, Inc.
The win by Nodah was the sixth of her 24-race career and it was her first in stakes company. Bred in Louisiana by J. Adcock & Nathan Granger, Nodah is a 6-year-old bay mare by Mor Spirit, out of the El Corredor mare Forest Path.
Scar Ship proved best in the $125,000 Pince under leading jockey Vicente Del Cid. The Ricky Courville trainee helped set the pace in the seven-furlong affair for 3-year-olds before gaining a clear lead turning for home. In the final furlong he held race favorite Mor Force at bay to win decisively. Scar Ship now has two wins from six career starts and his victory on Saturday night was his first in stakes company.
Bred in Louisiana by his owner, Rebecca Farms LLC, Scar Ship is a colt by Midshipman, out of the Dixie Union mare Hopeful Union.
Whisper Me a Smile was victorious in the $125,000 Starlet under jockey Julio Ramirez, Jr. for owner/trainer Benard Chatters. It was her first win in stakes company while making her fifth overall career start.
Bred in Louisiana, Whisper Me a Smile is a 3-year-old chestnut filly by Carpe Diem, out of the Whywhywhy mare Bold Question.
The $125,000 Matron came down to a two-horse race in the final strides between Sassi Strutter and Six String. The pair squared off in the final furlong of the five-furlong sprint and dueled to the wire where Sassi Strutter prevailed under journeyman jockey Thomas Pompell. Six String finished a hard luck second.
Sassi Strutter won for the eighth time in 20 career starts on Saturday. She is owned by Elite Thoroughbred Racing LLC and is trained by Lee Thomas. The 5-year-old chestnut mare was bred in Louisiana by her owner.
Strong Promise lived up to his name in the $125,000 Sprint as he overpowered his competition late to storm home in front under jockey Jansen Melancon in the five-furlong affair. The win was his eighth from 24 career trips to the starting gate. Strong Promise covered the distance in an impressive 58.14 seconds.
The gray runner is trained by Allen Landry and is owned by Baronne Farms LLC.
Strong Promise is a 5-year-old gray or roan gelding by Broken Vow, out of the Macho Uno mare St. Jean. He was bred in Louisiana by J. Adcock & Hume Wornall.
The $60,000 Gentlemen Starter was won by Breaking Star with jockey Vicente Del Cid, who accepted the ride from trainer Eduardo Ramirez. The 5-year-old gelding is owned Sandy Badeaux.
Breaking Star has now won six of 19 career starts. He was bred in Louisiana by Clyde James Taylor.
The $60,000 Ladies Starter was won by R T’s Gem under jockey Harry Herandez, who got a leg up from trainer Jonathan Wong. R T’s Gem is owned by Bar Racing (Jeffrey Mott).
R T’s Gem has now won six of 35 career starts. The 6-year-old chestnut mare by Gemologist, out of the Curlin mare Miss Velocity. She was bred in Louisiana by Richart Tate.
The $50,000 Ragin Cajun Starter was won by the race favorite Prado’s Priority under jockey Tim Thornton for trainer Jonathan Wong. The victory was the 13th from 29 career starts for Prado’s Priority who has now banked a total of $295,760 in purse money.
Owned by Rising Suns Racing Stable, Taboada Racing Stable LLC and Tak Racing, Prado’s Priority was bred in Louisiana by Michel Rodriguez. The bay gelding is a 7-year-old by Apriority, out of the Screen Idol mare She’s Prado’s Idol.
The $50,000 Bon Temps Starter was won by the odds-on favorite, Sweet Darlin, with jockey Harry Herandez in the saddle for trainer Jonathan Wong. Owned by Patty Tipton, TAK Racing, Rising Suns Racing Stables and Taboada Racing Stables, Sweet Darlin sat in mid pack and caught a wide trip in the five-furlong test for Louisiana-bred fillies and mares before launching a furious late rally to win going away. Sweet Darlin has now won five-of-11 career starts.
Sweet Darlin is a 6-year-old bay mare by Can the Man, out of the Speightstown mare Speights’ Colony. She was bred in Louisiana by Paul J. Sita.
Delta Downs’ current season will wrap up in two weeks on Saturday, February 21. The track will conduct live programs each Wednesday through Saturday until closing day. Post time nightly is at 4:45pm CST.
For more information about the season, visit the track’s website at www.deltadowns.com/race
Delta Downs Racetrack Casino Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation, is the premier racing and gaming entertainment venue in Vinton, LA. Delta Downs features a six-furlong oval track, 15,000 square feet of casino space and more than 1,500 of the most popular slot machines. Amenities include two restaurants, chart-topping entertainment at the Delta Event Center and the FanDuel Sportsbook.
Photo by Hodges Photography
