HorseCenter: La. Champions day top picks and analysis

By Brian Zipse & Matt Shifman
Photo:

This week on HorseCenter, Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman set their sights on New Orleans and Louisiana Champions day at Fair Grounds. Led by Touchuponastar in the Classic, your hosts will celebrate the Louisiana-breds by handicapping four of the biggest races from the stakes laden card.

Saturday’s card at Fair Grounds has 13 races, nine of which are part of the celebration of Louisiana-breds. Those state-bred races offer a total of $850,000 to the trainers, owners and breeders who race at Delta Downs, Evangeline Downs, Louisiana Downs and Fair Grounds during the year.

The $150,000 Classic drew a small field of five and will be run as race 5. The top two choices in (3-5) Touchuponastar and (2-1) Tumbarumba have excellent form against open company, with the favorite winning the Delta Mile and a second in the Sexton Mile (G3) at Lone Star and the second choice finishing third in the Oklahoma Derby (G3) and winning the Ellis Park Derby.

Enjoy HorseCenter’s first-time coverage of the Louisiana Champions day in New Orleans. As always, thanks for watching the show.

Read More

Division rankings: Trimming Eclipse fat before Breeders’ Cup
With the Breeders’ Cup just a fortnight away, the annual bout of selective amnesia is about to kick...
Thursday tab: Ted Noffey leads 12 graded winners in works
Ted Noffey , the likely favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 15 days, had a maintenance breeze...
Thorpedo Anna, reigning horse of the year, is retired
Trainer Kenny McPeek on Wednesday confirmed that reigning horse of the year Thorpedo Anna will not race again...
HRN speed figures: Daily top 10 & fastest maiden winners
Pinfire posted Wednesday’s highest Horse Racing Nation speed figure with a 132 at Keeneland in the second race....
Belmont Park hits milestone 11 months before racing resumes
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday joined local officials and representatives of NYRA and various construction trades...