VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs hosted a pair of $100,000 stakes races on Friday night. The Delta Mile featured of field of nine 3-year-olds and up competing at eight furlongs and the Treasure Chest was a one-mile test for fillies and mares, also for 3-year-olds and up.

The Delta Mile showcased the talents of Set Hut LLC’s Touchuponastar, who was challenged early by Five Star General. The pair hooked up in a spirited speed dual while setting snappy fractional times of 22.88 seconds for the opening quarter mile, 46.33 for the half mile, and 1:11.17 for three quarters. As the field hit the top of the homestretch, Five Star General gave way as Touchuponastar began to open a lead inside the sixteenth pole, but it wasn’t over yet.

In the final strides Miles D, under leading jockey Vicente Del Cid, rallied stoutly and took aim at Touchuponastar and his pilot Tim Thornton. But it wasn’t to be as the rally came up ¾ of a length short under the wire. Five Star General held onto third, another ¾ of a length behind the runner-up. The final time for the Delta Mile was 1:38.19, which was accomplished over a fast racetrack.

The win by Touchuponastar, who is conditioned by Jeff Delhomme, was his second of the season as he also scored a win in the $100,000 Gold Cup on opening weekend. Overall, the bay runner has won nine of 12 career starts and has earned $528,100 after taking home the $60,000 first place prize on Friday night. Most of his bankroll has been earned while facing Louisiana-bred horses but the Delta Mile was an open-bred stakes event.

Bred in Louisiana by Coteau Grove Farms, Touchuponastar is a 4-year-old gelding by Star Guitar, out of the Lion Heart mare Touch Magic. He was purchased at sale for just $15,000 as a yearling in Texas.

Sent off as the heavy favorite by the betting public, Touchuponastar paid $2.60 to win, $2.10 to place and $2.10 to show. Miles D was worth $3.20 to place and $2.40 to show. Five Star General returned $3 to show.

 

Just like the Delta Mile, the Treasure Chest was won by an odds-on favorite. Jerry Caroom’s Adaline Julia won the race under jockey Harry Hernandez while make her route debut for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

The Treasure Chest field was narrowed to five horses after the scratching of Fannie and Freddie. At the break Yuki went to the front and challenged Adaline Julia for the pace setting duties as the pair traveled the opening quarter mile in 23.72 seconds. As they approached the half-mile mark of the race Yuki began to back up and would eventually finish a distant last.

Meanwhile, Adaline Julia recorded a half-mile split time of 48.09 before she was joined on the lead by Tiz a Macho Girl. That pair ran together through ¾ of a mile in 1:12.54 before hitting the top of the homestretch. In the lane Adaline Julia was put to the test but prevailed over Tiz a Macho Girl in a time of 1:39.36. Tiz a Macho Girl hit the finish line a neck behind the winner while Clay’s Moon Stone was another 3-1/2 lengths back in third.

The win was the fifth of Adaline Julia’s nine-race career and her second in stakes company. She earned $60,000 for the effort and now has a bankroll of $360,135.

Adaline Julia is a 4-year-old bay filly by Oxbow, out of the Orientate mare Daedal. She was bred in Kentucky by Ikhana Farm.