Set Hat G2 winner Touchpona Star is aiming to further enhance his impressive record by seeking a fourth victory in the $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic. The event, held on Saturday, December 13, at the Fairgrounds Racetrack & Slots in New Orleans, features seven Statebred Stakes races worth a combined $900,000. Touchpona Star, the defending champion, leads a group of six returning titleholders vying for more Champions Day success.
The 1 1/8-mile dirt race is set as the fourth race on a 12-race card, with the first post at 12:45 PM Central Time. Touchpona Star, favored at 2-5 among six older stallions, recently won his third consecutive race, including last year’s New Orleans Classic (G2), where he triumphed over last year’s champion, 3-year-old Sierra Leone. The 6-year-old, trained by Jeff Delhomme and ridden by jockey Timothy Thornton, comes into the Classic following back-to-back stakes wins at Delta Downs.
The stakes action kicks off with the $125,000 Louisiana Champions Day Lady Turf at 1 1/16 miles, featuring homebred favorite Highly Wicked at 6-5 odds, who has remained undefeated in 10 turf starts. Race three, the $125,000 Champions Day Ladies Sprint over six furlongs on dirt, will see last year’s winners, Six String, attempt to overcome Secret Face, who placed second in the Caldwell Memorial earlier.
Races six and eight highlight Louisiana colts, starting with the $125,000 Lassie, a six-furlong sprint led by Little Miss Carlin, who maintains a perfect record with two wins. The $125,000 Juvenile race at three-quarters of a mile will showcase a rematch featuring Ekkuta and Our Money Man, both progeny of Mr. Mo Money, amid strong competition.
The 1 1/16-mile $125,000 turf race for older colts includes 12 contenders, with last year’s surprise winner Woods N Water facing tough competition from the top three Morreale Memorial winners, notably five-time stakes winner Good and Stout. This race is scheduled as race nine.
Wrapping up the Louisiana Champions Day stakes is a 10-race, six-furlong, $125,000 sprint, headlined by defending champion Joe Sugar and his main challenger Not On Herb, who recently bested Joe Sugar in the Ney Memorial’s opening round.
Louisiana Champions Day is set to highlight the state’s top horse racing talent with a competitive lineup and multiple returning champions. For detailed information on participants, including jockeys, trainers, and morning odds, visit the Equibase link: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/FG121325USA-EQB.html.
Live racing at the Fairgrounds will continue from Thursday through Sunday, with the first post consistently at 12:45 PM Central.
Fan Take: This event is a fantastic showcase for Louisiana’s thoroughbred racing scene, offering fans thrilling matchups and the chance to see rising stars alongside seasoned champions. The fierce competition and record-setting attempts here not only energize regional racing but also help spotlight the state’s growing influence in the sport’s national landscape.
