Money Supply Could Pad Coffers in New Orleans Classic

Money Supply —riding a five-race win streak, capped by taking the $247,500 Mineshaft Stakes (G3) Feb. 17—goes for his largest payday against nine rivals in the $500,000 New Orleans Classic Stakes (G2) March 23.

The 1 1/8-mile contest is the second-richest race on Louisiana Derby Day at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, trailing only the main event, the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2).

Money Supply, claimed by trainer Joe Sharp for $35,000 last summer at Saratoga Race Course for owner Jordan Wycoff, was a determined winner of the Mineshaft over a sloppy track. After stalking the pace, he went after pacesetting Best Actor and defeated him by a head after a stretch battle.

#7 MONEY SUPPLY ($20.20) makes it five in a row with a win in the $250,000 Mineshaft Stakes (G3) at @fairgroundsnola. The five-year-old by @CoolmoreAmerica‘s Practical Joke is trained by @mjsharp75_joe and was ridden by @Tyler_Gaff. 💸 pic.twitter.com/0CPwTyVRGn

— TVG (@TVG) February 17, 2024

Best Actor is again one of his principal foes in the New Orleans Classic, joined by Gasoline , Red Route One , and Happy American , respectively third, fourth, and seventh in the Mineshaft.

Tyler Gaffalione returns in the irons aboard Money Supply, a 5-year-old son of Practical Joke with career earnings of $600,772. He is 7-2-2 in 16 career races, and 5-1-0 in six starts for his current connections.

Stakes-Winning Rivals in 2024

Money Supply is co-highweight at 122 pounds with Florida invader Lure Him In and Louisiana-bred standout Touchuponastar . Both are restricted stakes winners this year. Lure Him In captured the Sunshine Classic Stakes at Gulfstream Park Jan. 20 before a runner-up finish in an allowance optional claiming race there Feb. 17; Touchuponastar rolled in the Feb. 3 Louisiana-bred Premier Championship Feb. 3 at Delta Downs.

The latter has graded-quality speed figures for Jeff Delhomme, who trains him for Set-Hut, a family partnership overseen by his brother Jake, a former National Football League quarterback.

Further Contenders

Best Actor, winner of the Smarty Jones Stakes (G3) at a 3-year-old in 2022, captured a pair of allowance optional claiming races in the fall before his close defeat in the Mineshaft. He is 5-3-1 in 10 races with earnings of $654,905.

Previously campaigned by Gary and Mary West, he races in the New Orleans Classic for owner Steve Moger. Brad Cox, who won the New Orleans Classic last year with West Will Power for the Wests, trains.

Pletcher, who conditions Gasoline for owners Harrell Ventures and CHC, is a six-time winner of the New Orleans Classic. His last win came in 2014 with Palace Malice , who had memorably won the Belmont Stakes (G1) the year before.

Palace Malice would go on to take the 2014 Metropolitan Handicap (G1) and Westchester Stakes (G3) before retiring to stud.

The last two New Orleans Classic winners, West Will Power and Olympiad , also later scored at the grade 1 level.