Thorpedo Anna romps home in the Acorn (NYRA/Coglianese)
Travers, Pennsylvania Derby the Route for Mystik Dan
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Nader Alaali, Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks and Magdalena Racing’s dual-Grade 1 winner Thorpedo Anna breezed a half-mile in 49.25 seconds Saturday over the Oklahoma dirt training track, marking her first timed activity since capturing the Grade 1, $500,000 DK Horse Acorn on June 7 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Kenny McPeek, the Fast Anna dark bay parlayed a victory in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks with an impressive 5 1/2-length score at the same distance in the Acorn. She lost her front right shoe during the first turn of the winning effort, and the conditioner subsequently noted the foot was a little tender after the race.
The promising sophomore filly has since resumed training and is on track for a next start in the nine-furlong Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 20 at Saratoga.
“She did a maintenance half-mile by herself, easy stuff. We’ve got four weeks until she runs. Keeping her in routine, she is probably 95 to 100 percent for the Coaching Club if everything goes right,” said McPeek. “We will evaluate the race and see about the Alabama or Travers next.”
Thorpedo Anna is 3-for-3 this year, additionally capturing the Grade 2 Fantasy in March at Oaklawn Park. All of the winning trips were under regular pilot Brian Hernandez, Jr., who was also aboard for her three starts as a 2-year-old, two wins and a second in the Grade 2 Golden Rod at Churchill Downs.
McPeek has called Thorpedo Anna “a grizzly” and entertained the idea of matching her up against colts, which has been contingent upon where Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan finds himself. The Goldencents bay exited for a second in the Grade 1 Preakness at Pimlico Race Course and an off-the-board finish in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets as the only horse to compete in all three legs of the Triple Crown.
After his Triple Crown-trail efforts, Mystik Dan scoped with some mucus but McPeek provided an update that the colt is doing well. He is pointed towards the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 24 at Saratoga and then the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on September 21 at Parx Racing.
“No intentions of running him in the Jim Dandy. He ran hard all spring, and is getting a bit of a break, plenty of grazing time, horse is happy and healthy” said McPeek. “He will probably go Travers, Pennsylvania Derby.”
4 G Racing, Lance Gasaway and Magdalena Racing’s Gould’s Gold finished a close second in Saturday’s nine-furlong Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown. The Goldencents gray followed the pacesetting Batten Down five lengths back from second position and made up mild ground on that rival late to round out the exacta 1 3/4-lengths back.
McPeek said the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy Presented by Mohegan Sun on July 27 at Saratoga could be next.
“We liked the race. This was a horse that was improving, and we think we’ve got more in him. We will probably nominate him to the Jim Dandy,” McPeek said, adding that the nine-furlong $135,000 Curlin on July 19 at The Spa, restricted for 3-year-olds which have not won a graded sweepstakes at a mile or over in 2024, could also be in play.
Before the Ohio Derby, Gould’s Gold was beaten a nose after taking the lead late in the 1 1/16-mile Sir Barton on May 18 at Churchill. Something appeared to have caught his attention and he was nailed at the wire by Corporate Power.
“He was still figuring it out. He is a colt that kind of grinds it out, and he seems to have figured it out now. So we will give him another shot against straight three-year-olds before that window closes,” McPeek said. “He will definitely run at Saratoga in his next start though.”
Also seen at Thistledown yesterday was graded stakes-placed Corningstone finishing third as a beaten favorite in the nine-furlong Listed Lady Jacqueline off a last-out optional-claiming win on June 9 at Churchill. The Indiana-bred Kantharos mare will look to a return to state-bred company next-out.
“She ran okay. I think she is good for a little better than that, no harm no foul,” said McPeek. “It put her over a half-million. She is probably going to go to an Indiana restricted race later in the season, we just want to have her right and ready for it.”
Old Kentucky Home’s multiple graded stakes winner Classic Causeway is entered in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster on June 29 at Churchill. The 5-year-old Giant’s Causeway chestnut won the turf Grade 1 Belmont Derby in July 2021 at its namesake course and will look to add another Grade 1 to his ledger on the dirt in the Stephen Foster.
“It’s an ambitious spot, he is an accomplished Grade 1-winner, and we are really hoping to get more Grade 1 black type with him,” McPeek said.
He will exit post 6 in rein to Julien Leparoux.
