Former NFL quarterback Jake Delhomme could call an audible and instead run in Sunday’s restricted Star Guitar Stakes

New Orleans, La (March 20, 2024) – The winner of 11 of 14 career starts, the Louisiana-bred Touchuponastar has been installed as Mike Diliberto’s 3-1 morning line favorite over the top four finishers from the Mineshaft (G3) and five others for Saturday’s nine furlong $500,000 New Orleans Classic (G2) presented by Relyne GI by Hagyard.

            Purchased for just $14,000 as a yearling, Touchuponastar has only run against open company twice in his career – finishing a game second behind Frosted Grace in the Steve Sexton Mile (G3) at Lone Star in May 2023 and later winning the Delta Mile at Delta Downs in November. The 5-year-old gelded son of Star Guitar has won seven Louisiana-breds stakes and has banked over $700,000 along the way.

            Owned by Set-Hut Stables of former NFL quarterback Jake Delhomme, Touchuponastar is trained by his brother Jeff. He is also entered in Sunday’s $100,000 Star Guitar Stakes presented by Brittlyn Stables. Restricted to Louisiana-breds four-year-olds and up, the Star Guitar will be run at 1 1/16 miles. Should he choose that route, Touchuponastar is expected to be an odds-on favorite over the upstart Jack Hammer and five others.

            “I honestly haven’t made a concrete decision yet,” Delhomme said in regards to which race Touchuponastar will run in. “All I will say is that the horse is doing extremely well at the moment.”

Jockey Tim Thornton, who has been aboard for every one of his races sans the career debut, would partner with Touchuponastar once again on Saturday and the duo will break from post three.

Claimed in August at Saratoga for $35,000, Jordan Wycoff’s Money Supply finished second in his first try for the new barn, but he’s since rattled off five consecutive wins, including the locally run Claiming Crown Jewel on Dec. 2 and most recently the Mineshaft (G3), also at Fair Grounds.

Sent off at odds of 9-1 over a track rated as sloppy in the Mineshaft, Money Supply rated mid-pack behind the hot pace set by the favored Best Actor. All in midway through the far turn, the Joe Sharp-trainee sustained his bid all the way to the wire, edging the suborn pacesetter by a head to earn his first career graded stakes win. Tyler Gaffalione, who was aboard for the Mineshaft score, has the return call and the duo will break from post five at 9-2 in the morning line.

            Sent off as the 3-5 favorite in the Mineshaft, Steve Moger’s Best Actor did all the dirty work, battling through a rigorous opening half mile of 46.97. He shook off the pesky presser Dubyuhnell on the far turn and dug in gamely, only to lose the narrow decision.

“He’s doing great,” trainer Brad Cox said. “He always lets you know when he’s ready to run. We missed a little time with him when we first got down here. He was doing really well when he ran in the Mineshaft and we like what we’ve seen from him since. A little bit deeper race, a little more pace this time around, but he’s doing well. If he gets the right set-up. I’m not sure if he’ll make the lead but he’ll be close. Flavien (Prat) knows him well from riding down here and in New York. I expect him to run big.”

The 5-year-old son of Flatter won the Smarty Jones (G3) as a 3-year-old and he placed in both the Indiana Derby (G3) and Oklahoma Derby (G3) that same season for trainer Brad Cox. Flavien Prat, who has been aboard Best Actor in his last three starts, gets the call from post nine aboard the 7-2 second choice in the morning line.

Here is the complete field for the New Orleans Classic from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): 1. Red Route One, a career earner of over $1.2 million; (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen, 6-1); 2. Gasoline, a four-time winner who got his first graded stakes placing in the Mineshaft last out (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher, 8-1 ML); 3. Touchuponastar (Timothy Thornton, Jeff Delhomme, 3-1); 4. Black Belt, winner of a second-level optional claiming allowance last out at Gulfstream (Brian Hernandez, Jr., Peter Walder, 10-1); 5. Money Supply (Tyler Gaffalione, Joe Sharp, 9-2) 6. Happy American, a G3 winner who finished 3rd in the Stephen Foster (G1) last year (Corey Lanerie, Neil Pessin, 30-1); 7. Super Cortino (Arg), a group 1 winner in his native Chile who was last seen finishing up the track in the 2023 Dubai World Cup (G1) (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Ignacio Correas IV, 12-1); 8. Velocitor, a recent upset winner of a second-level optional claiming allowance at Fair Grounds (David Cohen, Gary Scherer, 10-1); 9. Best Actor (Flavien Prat, Brad Cox, 7-2); and 10. Lure Him In, recently second behind Black Belt in a second-level optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream (Edwin Gonzales, Saffie Joseph, Jr., 10-1)

With a post time of 4:04 p.m. CT, the New Orleans Classic (G2) presented by Relyne GI by Hagyard is scheduled as the 9th of 12 races and is one of eight stakes on Saturday’s “Louisiana Derby Day” card. With $3 million in purses up for grabs, the program also features the TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) and the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) presented by Fasig-Tipton — 100-50-25-15-10 points races on the Road to the 150th Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve and the Longines Kentucky Oaks. First post is noon CT.