Touchuponastar remains the king of New Orleans.
The dual Louisiana-bred Horse of the Year—who defeated 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Sierra Leone , among others, in the 2025 New Orleans Classic Stakes (G2)—repeated in the $465,000 race March 21 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Leading throughout, Touchuponastar outlasted a hard-charging Corporate Power by a half-length, setting a track record for 1 1/8 miles, timed in 1:46.84 on a fast track.
His time was more than a second faster than his 1:48.10 clocking a year earlier and eclipsed Nates Mineshaft's track standard of 1:47.64 when he took the 2012 New Orleans Classic, then run as a handicap.
Facing other speed in Saturday's race—in contrast to last year's race when he was the lone front-runner—Touchuponastar needed to set a snappy pace, establishing fractions of :22.77, :46.40, and 1:09.96, though he always seemed to be traveling comfortably for jockey Marcelino Pedroza Jr. Pedroza, subbing for an injured Timmy Thornton, Touchuponastar's regular rider, then turned his mount loose in early stretch, putting aside a bid from Life and Times, who would retreat to be a distant third.
Runner-up Corporate Power got close to Touchuponastar late, cutting into the winner's 3-length midstretch lead, but he fell at least a few strides short of catching Touchuponastar.
Pedroza called Touchuponastar "a pleasure to ride."
The winner, a 7-year-old bay gelding by Star Guitar bred by Coteau Grove Farms in Louisiana out of the Lion Heart mare Touch Magic, won for the 21st time in 28 starts. A $15,000 purchase by his owner, Jake Delhomme of Set-Hut, Touchuponastar now has earnings of $2.06 million. His brother, Jeff, trains the horse.
Touchuponastar, who returned $4.40 to win as the favorite in a field of five, received applause from fans after a winner's circle presentation.
"And he has a big following, and honestly, it's a big responsibility on our part because we want to make sure when he's ready to run every time he comes (out), and he makes our job pretty easy," said Jake Delhomme, a retired NFL quarterback.
Video: New Orleans Classic S. Presented by Hagyard (G2)
Lagynos Also Becomes a MultiMillionaire in Taking Muniz Memorial Classic
A race later, Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud's Lagynos also surpassed $2 million in earnings in capturing the $294,000 Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes (G2T), the most prestigious grass race at Fair Grounds.
Sitting a sweet trip under Jose Ortiz, Lagynos stalked the leaders before angling out to split horses at the head of the lane en route to outfinishing the opposition. Lagynos defeated runner-up Tom's Magic by a length, with Program Trading settling for the show.
The winner was timed in 1:48.17 for 1 1/8 miles on firm turf, closing from a couple of lengths behind fractions of :23.53, :48:33, and 1:12.37 set by Idratherbeblessed, who weakened to finish last in the seven-horse field. Favored Lagynos returned $5.20 to win for a $2 win bet.
"He always shows up," Ortiz said after notching his fifth victory of the afternoon.
Lagynos, a chestnut 5-year-old son of Kantharos bred by Robert Spiegel out of the Speightstown mare Steamy, won for the seventh time in 25 starts and repeated in the graded ranks after taking the Fair Grounds Stakes (G3T) last month.
"I do believe, with his last two wins, he's found a new level of confidence," Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said.
