After a near-unbeaten campaign, Touchuponastar was voted 2023 Louisiana-bred Horse of the Year by the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association's board of directors.
The Star Guitar gelding's 4-year-old campaign featured six wins in seven starts, with his lone defeat being a runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Steve Sexton Mile Stakes at Lone Star Park. Jeff Delhomme trains Touchuponastar for owner Set-Hut LLC.
The remainder of Touchuponastar's races and wins came in his home state, starting on Feb. 4 with a 2 1/2-length victory in the Louisiana Bred Premier Championship Stakes at Delta Downs. A month later, he shifted to the Fair Grounds for a clear, front-running 3 1/2-length score in the Star Guitar Stakes.
Touchuponastar ran twice in May, starting with an effortless 9 1/4-length triumph in the EVD Classic Stakes at Delta Downs. Later that month, he shipped to Lone Star Park to finish second in the Steve Sexton Mile.
After some time off, Touchuponastar re-emerged in October at Delta Downs, where he racked up wins in the Gold Cup Stakes, then the Delta Mile Stakes a month later. He finished the season with a front-running 1 1/4-length score in the Louisiana Champions Day Classic Stakes on Dec. 9 at the Fair Grounds.
Touchuponastar was bred in Louisiana by Coteau Grove Farms, out of the Grade 3-placed stakes-winning Lion Heart mare Touch Magic.
Awards will be presented at the LTBA's annual award banquet, which is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 2 at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, La.
Following is the full list of year-end award winners, as voted on by the LTBA:
Horse of the Year: Touchuponastar
Breeder of the Year (based on amount of breeder's awards earned in 2023 calendar year): Coteau Grove Farms, earning $366,116
High-Percentage Breeder of the Year (40 percent stakes winners from starters, minimum of five starters): Thomas Galvin
Stallion of the Year: Star Guitar
Broodmare of the Year: Flashy Prize, dam of Free Like a Girl
Champion 2-Year-Old Filly: Accommodate Eva
Champion 2-Year-Old Male (Tie): El Dinero / Strong Promise
Champion 3-Year-Old Female: Star Moment
Champion 3-Year-Old Male: Mangum
Champion Older Female: Free Like a Girl
Champion Older Male: Touchuponastar
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