TOUCHUPONASTAR CRUISES TO THIRD STRAIGHT LOUISIANA PREMIER NIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP AT DELTA DOWNS

VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs hosted the 22nd 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 and the heavy favorite was Set Hut, LLC’s Touchuponastar, who was attempting to win the race for the third consecutive year. Under jockey Tim Thornton the Jeff Delhomme trainee did not disappoint as he romped home to win easily in the 1-1/16 test for older horses.

Touchuponastar broke perfectly in the Championship before engaging Tdzshininluckystar during the first half mile of the race. The pair volleyed for the lead while covering the quarter mile in 23.73 seconds and the half mile in 46.93.

As the field raced up the backstretch Touchuponastar eased away from his rival and began to build a lead that would only grow during final stages of the event. After clicking off a ¾ mile time of 1:11.47, Touchuponastar was in a race by himself and reported home 12-1/4 lengths to the good of Blue Cheese, who finished second. Saint Gabriel was another ¾ of a length behind in third. The final time was 1:44.40 over a fast track.

Thornton was asked about the pressure his mount dealt with in the early part of the race. “I wasn’t worried about it at all. At no point was I worried about the pace. He’s just a very nice horse.”

Winning for the sixth time in seven starts at Delta Downs, Touchuponastar has now visited the winner’s circle a total of 14 times from 20 outs during his career. The $90,000 first-place prize he garnered on Saturday raised his earnings mark to $1,112,900.

Bred in Louisiana by Coteau Grove Farms, Touchuponastar is a 6-year-old bey gelding by Star Guitar, out of the Lion Heart mare Touch Magic.

Sent to the gate at odds of 1-9, Touchuponastar returned $2.10 to win, $2.10 to place and $2.10 to show. Blue Cheese was worth $6.40 to place and $3.60 to show. Saint Gabriel paid $2.60 to show.