Touchuponastar Ascends To 2025 LA-Bred Horse Of The Year Honors

For the second time the accomplished Touchuponastar (Star Guitar) was named by the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association as the LA-bred Horse of the Year, the organization said in a letter that was sent to its members on Friday.

The gelding, who secured the same honor in 2023, turned in a stellar 2025 which included a handful of wins against black-type state bred company and also a victory in the GII New Orleans Classic at Fair Grounds.

Bred by Coteau Grove Farms, Touchuponastar is owned by former NFL quarterback Jake Delhomme's outfit Set-Hut and is trained by Jake's brother Jeff Delhomme. The stable star also took home the top 4-Year-Old Male award for 2025.

“It is truly an honor to receive the Louisiana bred horse of the year,” said Jake Delhomme. “This horse has brought so much joy to my family and everyone involved. We're blessed and lucky to have him still running competitively at the age of seven.

Concerning Touchuponastar's 2026 path moving forward, Delhomme said, “Looks like we're going to be pointing towards the final weekend of the Fair Grounds meet. There's a couple of races there with the New Orleans Classic and then the Star Guitar Stakes. We will aim for those two and decide what's best for him. Really happy with his work on [this past] Tuesday. He's doing extremely well.”

The rest of the 2025 Louisiana champions are:

• 2-Year-Old Colt or Gelding: Our Moneyman (Mr. Money);
• 2-Year-Old Filly: Little Miss Curlin (Curlin);
• 3-Year-Old Colt or Gelding: Smoken Wicked (Bobby's Wicked One);
• 3-Year-Old Filly: Secret Faith (Aurelius Maximus)
• 4-Year-Old/Up Male: Touchuponastar
• F&M 4-Year-Old/Up: Free Like a Girl (El Deal);
• Stallion of the Year: Star Guitar (by Quiet American);
• Broodmare of the Year: Jean (Macho Uno);
• Breeder of the Year: Coteau Grove Farms;
• High Percentage Breeder Award: J. E. Jumonville Jr. and Bunny Jumonville.

Award presentations will take place at the annual banquet, held in conjunction with the R.E.A.P. benefit, which is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 1 at Evangeline Downs.