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Brian Hernandez, Jr., beaming aboard Thorpedo Anna after their Oaks victory. (Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire)
Thorpedo Anna Turns Back Just F Y I To Win 150th Running Of Longines Kentucky Oaks
Churchill Downs Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, breeder Judy Hicks and Magdalena Racing’s Thorpedo Anna took the lead going into the first turn, repulsed a challenge from favored Just F Y I at the three-sixteenths pole and went on to score a 4 3/4-length victory in the 150th running of the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) for 3-year-old fillies Friday afternoon at Churchill Downs before a crowd of 107,236.
Trained by Kenny McPeek and ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Thorpedo Anna completed the mile and an eighth over a sloppy track in 1:50.83. It is the first victory in the race for McPeek and Hernandez.
The victory gives McPeek and Hernandez the opportunity to complete the Oaks-Kentucky Derby double on Saturday when they team up with Mystik Dan in the Run for the Roses.
The most recent trainer to sweep the Oaks and Derby in the same year was Ben Jones in 1952 with Real Delight and Hill Gail. The most recent rider to complete the double was Calvin Borel in 2009 with Rachel Alexandra and Mine That Bird.
Fiona’s Magic led the field under the finish line the first time, but by the time the fillies reached the first turn Hernandez had Thorpedo Anna in front. Fiona’s Magic tracked in second with Ways and Means racing in the clear third through fractions of :22.87, :46.79 and 1:11.75.
On the far turn. Fiona’s Magic had retreated leaving Ways and Means in closest pursuit, but Junior Alvarado had Just F Y I, last year’s champion 2-year-old filly, in high gear three wide.
At the top of the stretch, Just F Y I had dead aim at Thorpedo Anna and pulled on near even terms at the three-sixteenths pole only to have Thorpedo Anna open up again.
Thorpedo Anna is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Fast Anna out of the Uncle Mo mare Sataves. Now a winner of four of five starts, Thorpedo Anna picked up $846,300 for the victory that boosted her earnings to $1,430,663.
Thorpedo Anna returned $10.98, $6.06 and $4.36. Just F Y I returned $5.06 and $3.98 and finished three lengths in front of Regulatory Risk, who paid $11.82 under Jose Ortiz.
It was another 2 ¾ lengths back to Ways and Means, who was followed in order by Everland, Power Squeeze, Into Champagne, Lemon Muffin, Tarifa, Where’s My Ring, Our Pretty Woman, Gin Gin, Leslie’s Rose and Fiona’s Magic.
What They Had To Say After The 2024 Longines Kentucky Oaks
Brian Hernandez Jr., Jockey, Thorpedo Anna, winner: “I felt confident. She was out there and feeling comfortable. It means so much to win it for this team. Kenny and his barn have done a lot for my career.”
Kenny McPeek, Trainer, Thorpedo Anna, winner: “She was a bear today. She has been training great and when I saw brian had the race in control I thought she could do it. It’s just so amazing to finally win this race. We’ve been close for a long time but it’s a great feeling to get it done.
Junior Alvarado, Jockey, Just F Y I, runner-up: “She ran a great race. The winner just ran a better race. Turning for home I thought I had a chance to win the race, but I was just second best.”
Bill Mott, Trainer, Just F Y I, runner-up: “I had a great trip. I didn’t have any excuses. My filly broke a little funny from the outside post, but we got as good a trip as you could possibly ask for. I mean he got her tucked in, she was in position leaving the five-sixteenths pole to win. It looked like we had that filly (Thorpedo Anna) on our radar. It looked like she could probably catch her from there and the other filly just didn’t back up.”
Jose Ortiz, Jockey, Regulatory Risk, third: “I had a perfect trip. I’m very happy for the filly that got a Grade I placing. I’m very happy for the owners who do a great job and support me.”
Tyler Gaffalione, Jockey, Ways and Means, fourth: “I’m proud of her effort. I don’t think she completely cared for the track. It was too much on the sloppy side for her. She traveled great to the quarter pole but when It came to go, I didn’t have much left to go with.”
Chad Brown, Trainer, Regulatory Risk, third, Ways and Means, Fourth: “The winner was making the fractions and she was a deserving winner. (Ways and Means) just couldn’t’ keep up. Talking to Tyler (Gaffalione) after the race he said he liked the trip. She was in the clear out of trouble and they were going fast but she’s a fast horse. I don’t think that had anything to do with it. When we shipped Regulatory Risk here, she turned a lot of eyes. The horse breezed so good up in New York we made the decision to take the blinkers off and relax her. She really ran super, and mission accomplished with her. We were trying to get third. And for a moment there at the quarter pole looking at the fractions, I’m thinking could she inherit, sort of, this win with a pace collapse? That wasn’t to be. But she did run great.”
Abel Cedillo, Jockey, Everland, fifth: “I think she ran a huge race. It was the first time she ran on the dirt and especially today being sloppy.”
Daniel Centeno, Jockey, Power Squeeze, sixth: “The weather didn’t help today. She didn’t really like the track. She was not comfortable out there, but I made a little run at the end. She ran OK but the track was no help.”
Julien Leparoux, Jockey, Into Champagne, seventh: “She ran a great race. We had a great trip. I was right behind the winner the whole race and saving ground the whole time. She tried hard but the question coming into the race was distance. It was just a little too far for her, but she tries hard all the time. I’m very happy with her.”
Ian Wilkes, Trainer, Into Champagne, seventh: “She ran a big race. I’m very happy. She was in position to make a move, but she couldn’t go that far. I’m going to back up to one turn and go from there.”
Keith Asmussen, Jockey, Lemon Muffin, eighth: “That was a lot of fun.”
Flavien Prat, Jockey, Tarifa, ninth: I was disappointed. She never made any move. I can’t blame the sloppy track because she won on it this winter. It just wasn’t her day.”
Jose Lezcano, Jockey, Where’s My Ring, 10th: “She broke a little slow today. There were a lot of horses that had speed. I tried to go but she relaxed. I got a little run from her in the middle of the race but just finished even.”
Val Brinkerhoff, Trainer, Where’s My Ring, 10th: “She didn’t break and I know for sure she didn’t like the track today.”
Joel Rosario, Jockey, Our Pretty Woman, 11th: “She ran really well but sometimes the outside post is not easy for some horses. I had a little wide trip on the first turn, and it looked like everyone had the same idea to be close to the front early in the race. She handled it well for a while, but she did the best she could.”
Steve Asmussen, Trainer, Our Pretty Woman, 11th: “She had a wide trip. She was asked to cover more ground than she was capable of, but she came back fine.”
Florent Geroux, Jockey, Gin Gin, 12th: “I was very far back and could only pass a couple horses.”
Brad Cox, Trainer, Tarifa, ninth, Gin Gin, 12th: “No excuses. Not good enough today.”
Irad Ortiz Jr., Jockey, Leslie’s Rose, 13th: “She was comfortable early, but we didn’t have much run turning for home. No excuses.”
Todd Pletcher, Trainer, Leslie’s Rose, 13th: “Our filly didn’t care for the sloppy conditions at all. But she came back in good order.”
Luis Saez, Jockey, Fiona’s Magic, 14th: “Good trip, just couldn’t finish with these horses.”
Bo Yates, Trainer, Fiona’s Magic, 14th: “Not too sure what happened out there. Bummer.”
