Touchuponastar dominates Gold Cup in return to statebred company
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Touchuponastar made a triumphant return to Louisiana-bred company Friday night, when he powered to a 5 1/2-length victory over Big Chopper in the $100,000 Gold Cup at Delta Downs. It was another 3 3/4 lengths back in third to Autumns Strong Man.
Touchuponastar ($2.60) was making his first start since finishing second in the Grade 3, $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile on May 29 at Lone Star Park. He had won six consecutive races leading up to the Sexton, and all of those victories came against Louisiana-breds.
The Gold Cup shared an opening-night card with the $100,000 Magnolia, with both races for 3-year-olds and up bred in Louisiana. The Magnolia, which was for fillies and mares, was captured by Noneya ($15). The races were run over seven furlongs, which is a two-turn configuration at Delta.
Touchuponastar moved to the front soon after the start and set fractions of 23.75 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.61 for the half-mile, and 1:11.95 for six furlongs, before going on to cover the distance in 1:24.64.
Tim Thornton was aboard the son of Star Guitar for trainer Jeff Delhomme.
Touchuponastar improved his record to eight wins from 11 starts for owner Set-Hut LLC. The horse picked up $60,000 for his victory to push his career earnings to $468,100.
Earlier on the card, Noneya tracked the pace en route to a 2 1/4-length win over Nora G in the Magnolia. It was another three-quarters of a length back in third to closing Free Like a Girl.
Noneya sat just off pacesetter Nora G, who led the field through an opening quarter in 23.71 and a half-mile in 48.21. Noneya moved up to challenge for the lead on the second turn and into the stretch, drifted in sharply, and went on to cover the distance in 1:25.97.
Following the race, the rider of Nora G claimed foul against the winner for interference in the stretch, it was announced. The stewards ruled there would be no change to the order of finish.
Vicente Del-Cid was aboard Noneya for owner and trainer Ronnie Ward. She is a daughter of Palace and with the win improved her record to 6-for-18 for earnings of $202,340.
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