Sierra Leone Settles for Third in Comeback as Touchuponastar Steals the Show

The 2024 Champion Three-Year-Old Colt in the U.S. failed to fire in the New Orleans Classic Stakes (G2), as the local standout went wire to wire

Timothy Thornton’s joy aboard Touchuponastar / FAIR GROUNDS

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (Special for Turf Diario).- Most expected to see Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) kick off his reign as Champion Three-Year-Old Colt with a victory in the New Orleans Classic Stakes (G2, 1800m, dirt, $480,000) at Fair Grounds. Instead, it was the local hero Touchuponastar (Star Guitar) who stole the show, electrifying the hometown crowd while relegating the heavy favorite to third.

Layoffs are never easy, but Sierra Leone’s class suggested he could overcome the challenge in style. However, he looked much like he did on his off days last year—lagging at the back, rallying too late, and perhaps lacking race fitness.

At the other end of the spectrum, Touchuponastar, ridden by veteran jockey Timothy Thornton, never let anyone near him. Owned by former NFL quarterback Jake Delhomme's Set-Hut LLC, the Louisiana-bred dictated the pace from the start and dug in when the real running began.

Hall of Fame (Gun Runner) chased him every step of the way but never posed a serious threat, as Touchuponastarpowered home 2 1/2 lengths clear. Another two lengths back, Sierra Leone made up some ground late but had no choice but to settle for third, dashing the hopes of many bettors and leaving his connections looking ahead to the next opportunity.

Runner-up in this same race last year, Touchuponastar finally had his redemption, becoming the first Louisiana-bred to win the New Orleans Classic since Scott's Scoundrel (L'Enjoleur) in 1996.

"He always does his job," said Thornton, who has ridden Touchuponastar in 20 of his 21 starts. "When he got the lead and pricked his ears, I knew we were in good shape. I felt some pressure at the 600-meter mark, but he always had something left. The Delhommes do an incredible job with their horses."

Interestingly, Touchuponastar was also entered in the Star Guitar Stakes (L) on the same card, but his connections took a shot here instead—and it paid off in style.

As for Sierra Leone, jockey Flavien Prat was candid: "He never found his rhythm. He struggled to keep up early. He accelerated in the stretch, but by then, the others had already gotten away."