Janet Napolitano Photo

Thorpedo Anna leaves rivals in her wake in G1 CCA Oaks romp

by Mary Eddy

Thorpedo Anna quelled what few doubts there were about her supremacy in the sophomore filly division when romping in a facile coup of Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks, a nine-furlong route for 3-year-old fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Kenny McPeek for owners Nader Alaali, Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks and Magdalena Racing, Thorpedo Anna earned the third Grade 1 victory of her campaign after taking the Kentucky Oaks in May at Churchill Downs and the DK Horse Acorn last out on June 7 here. The Fast Anna bay has faced few tense moments throughout the season, winning all four of her starts by a combined 18 3/4 lengths beginning with a four-length win in Oaklawn Park’s Grade 2 Fantasy.

Guided from post 2-of-4 by regular pilot Brian Hernandez, Jr. in the CCA Oaks, it was not smooth sailing for Thorpedo Anna in the early stages after she hopped at the start, hit the gate, and broke last behind the sharp-starting Leslie’s Rose. However, a collected Hernandez, Jr. stepped on the gas into the first turn and asked his charge to split two-wide for second position between Intricate and Leslie’s Rose, who marked the opening quarter-mile in 24.28 seconds over the fast main track.

“A little bit, ‘oh well,’” McPeek said of his reaction to the poor start. “That’s the thing about horse racing – a lot can happen, right. I’ve run heavy favorites and seen them go straight to their nose and the rider fall off. So, we’re lucky that didn’t happen. Brian recovered real quick and fortunately the five [Intricate] didn’t get in the way and she was able to find a spot in there real quick.”

Thorpedo Anna watched patiently from two lengths back in second down the backstretch with Candied and Intricate, the lone horse to ever defeat Thorpedo Anna, following suit through the half-mile in a quickening 47.89. Hall of Famer John Velazquez nudged Leslie’s Rose for more approaching the turn, but Hernandez, Jr. simply dropped his hands slightly for Thorpedo Anna to unleash a devastating turn of foot and collar the pacesetter with ease midway through the bend.

“Brian didn’t take the bait in the 47 and change half-mile – he sat back and that’s why I use him, he’s just a good judge of pace,” McPeek said. “In the middle of the turn you saw her getting ready to swallow the other horse and do her thing.”

Hernandez, Jr. agreed with McPeek, and noted Thorpedo Anna’s impressive response to engulf her foe.

“Going into the second turn, Leslie's Rose kinda swirled away from us and I was just waiting on her. I said, ‘well, if she could overcome what she did at the start, we’ll know how good she is,’” Hernandez, Jr. explained. “I asked her for just half a step and she jumped forward so quick. I said, ‘OK, now we are in good shape.’ I can just let her cruise by Leslie's Rose and go on about her business.”

The Manny Franco-piloted Candied swung wide and made a willing run down the center of the racetrack as three-quarters elapsed in 1:11.80, but Thorpedo Anna drew further and further away with every stride under confident handling once straightened for home. Hernandez, Jr. needed only to flash his crop on his filly’s right side for her to keep to task and storm home a 4 1/2-length winner in a final time of 1:50.95 over an all-out Candied.

Hernandez, Jr., aboard for all seven of Thorpedo Anna’s starts, gave all the credit to the talented filly.

“The last eighth of a mile, it was just her. She had her ears up and was looking around at the grandstand,” Hernandez, Jr. said. “I was kinda looking out of the corner of my eye at the infield at the big screen to make sure no one was really making a run at her. She was just kinda playing around and messing with me more than anything.”

The Tyler Gaffalione-piloted Intricate passed the tiring Leslie’s Rose for third and Barbratina was scratched.

Thorpedo Anna now boasts a sublime 6-for-7 record, which includes wins as a juvenile in restricted maiden and allowance company by a respective 8 1/2 and nine lengths. She was part of a historic double for McPeek this year when completing the Oaks half of the Kentucky Oaks/Derby double one day before McPeek sent out Mystik Dan to win the “Run for the Roses.”

Bred in Kentucky by Judy Hicks, Thorpedo Anna has proven well beyond worth her frugal purchase price of $40,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, sporting $1,980,663 in total purse earnings after banking $275,000 in victory. She returned $2.50 on a $2 win ticket as the overwhelming 1-4 post-time favorite.

McPeek reflected on his latest fan favorite filly, who he said brings to mind memories of the pandemic-year 2020 Grade 1 Preakness and Alabama-winner Swiss Skydiver.

“It’s just been an amazing journey. We didn’t give a lot for her so everything’s gravy,” McPeek said. “From her 2-year-old season, everything’s been gravy. She’s given us a lot of gravy. Swiss Skydiver gave us this kind of experience, too, but nobody was here then. The grandstands were empty, so I’m glad people were actually able to see her.”

McPeek is now faced with the decision of whether to bring the filly back in the logical next stop for sophomore females at the Spa in the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales on August 17, or take on males in the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 24, where she would likely face Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets-winner and today's Grade 1 NYRA Bets Haskell victor Dornoch.

“If I run her in the Alabama, as a wagering [prospect] it’s no fun for anybody. Nobody is going to run against her and what would she be – 1-2 or less? I like challenges,” McPeek said. “I’d be sticking my neck out a little bit, but I think the sport could really enjoy seeing a filly take on the colts. Whether it’s Genuine Risk or Winning Colors or Swiss [Skydiver] – I’ll look at the numbers, look at them really hard and try to make an educated decision if I think we can run with them. I watched Dornoch today and he ran 1:50 and change – there’s not much separation there, at least on time. It’s a good problem.”

Franco, aboard the Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher-trained Candied for the first time, said the Grade 1-winner was valiant in defeat.

“I got a good trip. I knew those two fillies were going to be in front of me, so I just sat and made my race after that,” said Franco. “She ran good, she was just second best today. My filly never stopped running. She was trying, gaining some ground late, just second best.”

Live racing resumes Sunday at Saratoga Race Course with a 11-race program that features the Grade 1, $150,000 A. P. Smithwick Memorial Handicap [Race 1] and the Grade 2, $200,000 Shuvee [Race 5]. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present live coverage and analysis of the Saratoga Race Course summer meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule/.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the summer meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at NYRABets.com.