Division rankings: Will Thorpedo Anna finally get a rival?

Next Friday’s Grade 1 La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs is circled on Thorpedo Anna’s calendar, and maybe she’ll finally face a test.

I know this take might ruffle a few feathers, but I’ve long been a bit skeptical of where she truly fits in the broader historical conversation. She’s been an absolute media darling and fan favorite, no question. But the wave of praise she’s riding has, in my view, veered deep into over-the-top territory.

More on Thorpedo Anna and the La Troienne in a moment, but first, here’s how the older dirt female division stacks up right now.

Older dirt females

1. Thorpedo Anna. Another race, another stroll in the park, this time in the Apple Blossom (G1). I'll give credit where it’s due, and she just keeps winning. It’s not her fault she draws weak fields in races such as the Apple Blossom. Next stop is the La Troienne at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby weekend, where Cavalieri is scheduled to show up.

2. Cavalieri. This filly means business. At 4-for-4 and only getting faster, she’s proving to be a real force in the division. Disappointed she didn't make the trip to Oaklawn for the Apple Blossom but should be present for the La Troienne. 

3. Richi. She steamrolled the Santa Maria (G2) at Santa Anita, opening up by more than four lengths and giving a nice boost to Cavalieri, who beat her the race before. This Chilean import has done nothing but impress since arriving stateside. She has five solid efforts since June, and don’t forget that Group 1 win at 10 furlongs back home. She’s got stamina, class and momentum. A serious player in this division.

4. Power Squeeze. She ran surprisingly well last time out in the Ghostzapper (G3), finishing second to White Abarrio and hanging in tough with the big boy. No one in this division has tackled tougher company in 2025, having already squared off against males twice.

5. Raging Sea. Runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, she delivered as expected. Her 2024 highlight was upsetting Idiomatic in the Personal Ensign (G1). She starts this season far back of the leader and is now back on the work tab.

Next five: Gin Gin, Free Like a Girl, Sugar Fish, Randomized, Candied

Thorpedo Anna shows up every time and runs her race. She’s 2-for-2 as a 4-year-old and owns a sparkling 9-for-11 career record, with her only losses coming to Fierceness and Intricate. That’s rock solid, and her horse-of-the-year title in 2024 was well-earned in a season where no other division produced a standout.

But we need to keep things in perspective and recognize that, in today’s racing landscape, the bar isn’t exactly sky-high. Standards have slipped across nearly every division, making it easier for good horses to look great. Thorpedo Anna is undeniably talented, but before we start carving her name alongside the some of the recent greats, she still has work to do. 

Comparing horses across generations is never easy, but speed figures offer one of the few objective tools we have to gauge talent, no matter when or where a horse ran.

Thorpedo Anna's speed figures this year have quietly taken a step back. And even last season, they weren’t exactly setting the world on fire. Although she continues to win, the level of competition she’s faced hasn’t exactly pushed her to new heights. You can only beat who lines up against you, of course, but when I see her name being mentioned among the greatest fillies of the last two decades, I pause. 

Enter the La Troienne. If all goes to plan, Cavalieri, the No. 2 ranked mare in the division and a filly with legitimate firepower, is set to ship in from California. Maybe we’ll finally see Thorpedo Anna tested against a filly who can punch back. The La Troienne could be the race that elevates Thorpedo Anna a little more. 

Cavalieri might be the fresh face this division and Thorpedo Anna desperately need. Unbeaten in four starts out west, she rolls into Churchill Downs with considerable buzz. In her last outing, she reeled in the highly regarded Richi to win the Beholder Mile (G1), earning a speed figure that tops anything Thorpedo Anna has put up against female company. And that win aged beautifully. Richi came back last weekend to dominate the Santa Maria (G2), clocking the fastest two-turn dirt performance by any female in 2025. So yes, Cavalieri looks like the real deal.

Another heavy hitter could crash the La Troienne party. Randomized is a possible entrant, and if she shows up on her game, she’s a threat. A Grade 1 winner at both 3 and 4, she’s more than capable of making noise if she’s sharp off the layoff. 

Let’s face it. Thorpedo Anna needs a true rival, a legitimate gut-check. Cavalieri and Randomized offer exactly what her résumé’s been missing, a high-quality win over females. We might finally get the kind of race that's been lacking on Thorpedo Anna’s resume.

Older dirt males

1. White Abarrio. Scored another win, this time in the Ghostzapper (G3) at Gulfstream. The Pegasus World Cup (G1) winner will run next in the Met Mile (G1) on Belmont Stakes day.

2. Locked. Unleashing a tour de force in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1), he secured his first Grade 1 win since his juvenile days. Though he started the year playing second fiddle to White Abarrio in the Pegasus, his Big 'Cap domination proved he might deserve another crack. Will run next in the Alysheba (G2) on Kentucky Oaks day at Churchill Downs.

3. Hit Show. His win in the Dubai World Cup (G1) might have been a surprise to some, but not here. If he can bring that form back to the U.S., he will be a major player in this division.

4. First Mission. Turned in the race of his life in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2), handling a tough crew of Grade 2 and Grade 3 vets. He’s still chasing that elusive Grade 1 win, but with only 12 starts under his belt two starts into his 5-year-old season, there’s still time and now, momentum. The Stephen Foster (G1) in late June at Churchill Downs is next.

5. Sierra Leone. Ran the worst race of his career in his seasonal debut in the New Orleans Classic (G2). No excuses, but he doesn't drop much in these rankings and deserves one mulligan given the equity he has built on his résumé.

Next five: Fierceness, Express Train, Mindframe, Hall of Fame, Touchupsonastar.

3-year-old males

1. Journalism. He did exactly what he needed to do in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), showing grit and class as he reeled in the game newcomer Baeza late. It was a performance worthy of a Kentucky Derby favorite. Although it might not have been a lights-out win, it was professional, and he’s clearly trending the right way. He’ll head to Louisville with momentum and plenty of buzz, though a few of the contenders ranked below him aren't as far behind him as I once thought.

2. Sovereignty. He fell short in the Florida Derby (G1), but his late run ensured he lost no momentum on the road to Churchill. Tappan Street had his measure that day, but with a stakes win already under the twin spires, he’ll be a major player when it matters most.

3. Sandman. He finally found his stride, breaking through with his first stakes win in the Arkansas Derby (G1) thanks to a pace that set him up perfectly. But for all his experience with eight starts under his belt, he still looked a bit green in the stretch.

4. Burnham Square. The good news? He returned to the winner’s circle with a Blue Grass (G1) victory. The bad news? They crawled home late, and the way he finished did little to convince me that 10 furlongs is in his wheelhouse. That said, his body of work this season earns him a spot this high. Whether he stays there after Derby day is another story.

5. Tappan Street. The Florida Derby winner in just his third career start, he was runner-up to Burnham Square in the Holy Bull (G3) one race prior.

Next 7: Rodriguez, Tiztastic, Baeza, Coal Battle, Grande, Final Gambit, Citizen Bull

3-year-old fillies

1. Good Cheer. She’s now 6-for-6 in her career after her win in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). With three Grade 2 stakes victories under her belt, she’ll aim for her first Grade 1 win in the Kentucky Oaks next.

2. Quietside. She delivered a thrilling victory in the Fantasy (G2), outdueling Simply Joking in what could be the race of the year so far. After her impressive Honeybee (G3) win two races ago, she’ll head to the Kentucky Oaks as the second choice behind Good Cheer.

3. Simply Joking. She put up a fierce fight in the Fantasy, going toe-to-toe with Quietside for nearly the entire race. That runner-up finish was her first blemish in three starts.

4. La Cara. Facile winner of the Ashland (G1), this gal finished runner-up in the Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream before that.

5. Five G. Second in the Honeybee (G3) two starts back to Quietside, she scored her first graded-stakes win last out in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2).

Next five: Tenma, Muhimma, Ballerina d'Oro, Eclatant, Nitrogen

Turf males

1. Carl Spackler. Returned with authority, romping in the Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) at Keeneland and reminding everyone why he’s a force on turf. With Grade 1 wins in three of his last four starts, he rockets to the top of the division.

2. Far Bridge. He kicked off 2025 with a hard-fought neck victory in the Pan American (G2) at Gulfstream, a win that propelled him to the top of a division desperately craving order. With two Grade 1 wins last year, he could run next on Kentucky Derby weekend in the Turf Classic (G1).

3. Spirit of St Louis. Finished fourth, beaten by less than two lengths, last out in the Muniz Memorial presented by Horse Racing Nation (G2) at Fair Grounds. It was a disappointing effort, and it sent this division into further disarray. He does have that win in the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1), where he won his first graded stakes. A winner of 10 of 15 starts, this was only his second off-the-board finish.

4. Johannes. Kept his hot streak going with a win in the San Gabriel (G2) in December, capping off a stellar 2024 campaign with five graded-stakes victories from six starts. His only loss came as a runner-up to More Than Looks in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Back in training now, and I'm hoping to see him back at the races.

5. Integration. He’s been second-best in back-to-back Grade 1s but far from disappointing. Kicked off the season with a strong runner-up effort in the Pegasus Turf, followed by another solid showing last out in the Maker’s Mark Mile.

Next five: Nation's Pride, Formidable Man, Dashman, Atitlan, Utah Beach

Turf females

1. Choisya. Hard to say she was truly best in the Jenny Wiley (G1), considering the interference with runner-up Excellent Truth. After an objection and steward’s review, she stayed up, and that's a call I wouldn’t have made. Still, she’s 3-for-3 this season, which is why she lands on top for now and holds her place in the top five. But unless she returns to race in the U.S., that spot won’t last long.

2. Excellent Truth. She was clearly best in the Jenny Wiley but had to settle for second behind Choisya in her seasonal debut. If she doesn’t resurface on U.S. soil soon, though, expect her to slide down these rankings in the coming weeks.

3. Kehoe Beach. Ran a career best race in the Jenny Wiley, where she finished a good third in her seasonal debut. Big things are expected from this daughter of Omaha Beach in 2025.

4. Sacred Wish. Her fourth-place finish in the Jenny Wiley was a bit underwhelming, but she has done enough to hold her spot in the top five. Before that, she ran a game second in the Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf (G2), just a neck behind Be Your Best. Last year’s Matriarch (G1) winner has been a steady force in the division, hitting the board in three other graded stakes and continuing to show up in the major events.

5. Saffron Moon. Has won both of her starts this season, the Endeavour (G3) and Hillsborough (G2) at Tampa.

Next five: Beach Bomb, Ag Bullet, Lady Claypoole, Special Wan, Be Your Best

Male sprinters

1. Straight No Chaser. The reigning Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion disappointed in Dubai, finishing eighth in the Golden Shaheen (G1). Before that he kicked off 2025 in style, taking the Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G2) in Saudi Arabia. Targeting the Bing Crosby (G1) at Del Mar in late July for his next start.

2. Raging Torrent. Scored a big win in the Godolphin Mile (G2) at Meydan and before that he scored a win in the Malibu (G1) last December. He faced Straight No Chaser in the Breeders' Cup Sprint last fall and finished well back.

3. Book'em Danno. Made his 2025 debut a winning one as he scored in a race at Colonial Downs, beating just two others. Connections wisely chose to skip Dubai and keep him in the U.S. for the remainder of the season. Could see him in stakes action on Kentucky Derby weekend.

4. Big City Lights. This guy won his first start of of 2025 in the California Cup Sprint at Santa Anita in a romp, and before that he romped in the Cary Grant Stakes at Del Mar. Placed in three graded-stakes races last season but appears to be a step above that form now.

5. Mullikin. Finished second in the Cigar Mile (G2) behind Locked after a third in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. He earned his first Grade 1 win in the Forego and first graded win in the Nerud (G2). The 4-year-old colt is 5-for-10 in his career and is back working for a possible stakes start on Kentucky Derby weekend.

Next five: Nakatomi, Booth, Bentornato, Mufasa, Federal Judge

Female sprinters

1. Kopion. Back-to-back dominant wins in the La Brea (G1) and Santa Monica (G2), both with speed figures no one in this division was able to muster last year. She’s the one to beat in this division. Although she missed the Beholder Mile (G1), it might turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

2. Nic's Style. This Florida-bred is 7-for-8 in her career, her only loss a runner-up to Ways and Means last year in the Gallant Bloom (G2). She won the Hurricane Bertie (G3) last out for her fourth win in a row. A serious player in this division.

3. Hope Road. Second best to the top one in the Santa Monica last out, she won two stakes last season.

4. Richi. Ran well when stretching out last time against Cavalieri and against Kopion before that. Won the Las Flores (G3) sprinting in her first start of 2025.

5. Emery. Has run first or second in five straight major races in this division, all graded stakes. Was runner-up in the Madison (G1) last out.

Next five: Positano Sunset, Mystic Lake, Pleasant, Spirit Wind, Ways and Means