Touchuponastar, Free Like a Girl headline four-stakes card

There are four open-company stakes Friday night at Delta Downs, but all eyes will be on a pair of Louisiana-breds: Free Like a Girl and Touchuponastar.

Free Like a Girl can go over $2 million in career earnings in the $100,000 Treasure Chest, while reigning Louisiana-bred of the year Touchuponastar returns from a freshening to defend his title in the $100,000 Delta Mile.

The card’s offering includes a pair of two-turn stakes for 2-year-olds in the $100,000 Jean Lafitte and the $100,000 My Trusty Cat.

Touchuponastar is part of a full field of 10 that includes Komorebino Omoide, a Japanese-bred runner who in August was third to Skippylongstocking in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic, and Run Classic, the Grade 3-placed runner who was second last out in the David M. Vance at Remington Park.

“It’s a very tough race,” said Jake Delhomme, the former NFL quarterback who owns Touchuponastar. “There’s a lot of quality in the race, which you would expect in an open race for $100,000.”

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Touchuponastar is making his first start since May 27, when he was second by a neck in the Grade 3 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park. Earlier in the year, he was second in the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic and won the Evangeline Downs Classic and the Premier Night Championship. The Premier was run at Delta, a six-furlong oval over which Touchuponastar is 5 for 5.

“He likes Delta,” Delhomme said. “I think those tight turns, for whatever the reason, he really digs into them and he really gets moving in those turns. He gets over it. I think this horse, we’re very lucky – it seems like he likes all the tracks.”

Touchuponastar is closing in on $1 million in earnings, with a record of 12 wins from 17 starts for earnings of $922,900. The son of Star Guitar is trained by Delhomme’s brother, Jeff. Touchuponastar has been working forwardly for his return Friday.

“We’re looking forward to get rolling with him,” Jake Delhomme said of a winter-spring campaign. “We thought about waiting for the Fair Grounds. They have those opening weekend stakes. He was doing well and we said, ‘It’s time to get going.’ ”

Last season, Touchuponastar won the Louisiana Champions Day Classic for the second year in a row at Fair Grounds. This year’s renewal is Dec. 14.

Touchuponastar on Friday will break from post 1 under regular rider Timothy Thornton. Jake Delhomme was pleased with the draw.

“I think he breaks extremely well, and you have an extremely long run to the turn,” he said. “That’s one thing about Delta, the mile races, you’re breaking at the end of the chute. So, Timmy can decide whatever way he wants, if he wants to go, if he wants to sit off. That’s not a problem.”

Komorebino Omoide raced around three turns in the Charles Town Classic at 1 1/8 miles and has since run a close sixth as the favorite in a second-level allowance at Keeneland. Earlier this year, Komorebino Omoide was third in the Grade 3 West Virginia Governor’s Cup at Mountaineer and third in the Texas Turf Classic at Lone Star Park.

Jansen Melancon has the mount on the son of California Chrome from post 6. Robertino Diodoro trains for breeder and owner Perry Martin.

The Donegal Clan was second in the Super Derby in September at Louisiana Downs and, more recently, defeated older horses in an allowance at Delta.

Treasure Chest

Free Like a Girl brings earnings of $1,979,978 into the Treasure Chest and a first- or second-place finish likely would see her hit the $2 million milestone.

“We’re about $20,000 away,” co-owner and trainer Chasey Deville Pomier said.

Free Like a Girl became the all-time richest Louisiana-bred in August with a win in the Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon at Charles Town. She enters the Treasure Chest off a win in the Magnolia at Delta, defeating Louisiana-breds on Oct. 11. Free Like a Girl is a six-time winner from nine starts over what is her home track.

“She loves being at home,” Deville Pomier said. “She’s been training really well at home. It’s good to run out of your own stall.”

Free Like a Girl won over seven furlongs last out – which is a two-turn race at Delta – and is a multiple winner at the mile distance of the Treasure Chest.

“I love her at both distances,” Deville Pomier said. “Kind of her sweet spot, I find, especially at Delta, is two turns, seven-eighths. I love it there, any two turns, seven-eighths there or Charles Town. And the mile, a flat mile, we’ve always loved it for her. She seems to just like that, right at that mark there.”

The field for the Treasure Chest includes Battle Cry, who is cross-entered in a Saturday stakes at Laurel Park.

◗ The multiple stakes-placed Tapitures Actor makes the move to two turns for the My Trusty Cat.

◗ A Million Moons seeks his second stakes win of the Delta meet in the Jean Lafitte.

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