Thorpedo Anna blows into the Kentucky Oaks. (Coady Photography/Renee Torbit)
By Robert Yates
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Thorpedo Anna stamped herself a major Kentucky Oaks player with a powerful victory in the $750,000 G2-Fantasy Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.
Making her 2024 debut, delayed because of a minor hip issue, Thorpedo Anna rolled home by four lengths under Brian Hernandez Jr. West Omaha finished second, 3 ¼ lengths ahead of Tapit Jenallie.
Thorpedo Anna ($7.40). collected 100 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points for the victory, her third in four lifetime starts.
Thorpedo Anna won her first two starts last fall in Kentucky, but she was unraced since a runner-up finish in the $400,000 G2-Golden Rod Stakes Nov. 25 at Churchill Downs. The Golden Rod was her two-turn debut.
Although she broke from the extreme outside, post 10, in the Fantasy, Thorpedo Anna was able to secure a forward position and raced just off the lead down the backstretch. The daughter of Fast Anna, in hand, took the lead on the outside on the second turn and was three lengths clear in midstretch.
Racing over a fast track, Thorpedo Anna covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.24.
Tapit Jenallie was followed, in order, by All Things Go, Recharge, Ba Dee Yah, Lemon Muffin, My Mane Squeeze, Candy Aisle and In Just My Heels. My Mane Squeeze, the slight 2-1 favorite over Thorpedo Anna, was never a factor after being unruly in the gate prior to the start. Midshipman’s Dance and Where’s My Ring were scratched.
Thorpedo Anna, co-owned by McPeek’s wife, Sherri, has a 3-1-0 record from four starts and lifetime earnings of $584,363.
Fantasy Quotes
Brian Hernandez Jr. (Winning Jockey/Thorpedo Anna): “When we got into the paddock, (trainer) Kenny (McPeek) told me: You know what you have underneath you. She’s the fastest filly in the race, so just ride her with confidence.’ The biggest thing I was worried about was just being in the (10) hole – her not breaking or breaking out. When she broke cleanly, I was like: ‘OK, now we’re in a good spot.’ She settled right off those horses down the backside, and we were locked and loaded the whole way.”
Kenny McPeek (Winning Trainer/Thorpedo Anna): “She was loaded. She was ready to run. Even at feed time yesterday, she was on her toes. I was worried about her getting nervous. Will definitely have to school her at Churchill. Mystik Dan has had to look her in the eye in their last few breezes. She’s given him everything he could handle. She’s a serious (Kentucky Oaks) contender.”
Tyler Gaffalione (Second-Place Trainer/West Omaha): “My filly did everything I asked of her. She traveled real well throughout. Coming into the stretch, I saw Brian (jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. on Thorpedo Anna) was sitting pretty good, so I tried to get the jump on him. But when I ranged up to him, his filly took off.”
