McPeek says Thorpedo Anna will face the boys in the Travers

Kenny McPeek dropped the other shoe Saturday, announcing that Thorpedo Anna indeed will take on males for the first time when she races Aug. 24 in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga.

The trainer and husband of the co-owner of the country’s top active 3-year-old filly made the announcement in an interview on the New York Racing Association’s “Saratoga Live” telecast on Fox Sports.

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“I didn’t want to take the next four weeks of everyone asking and asking,” McPeek said.

Thorpedo Anna most recently overcame a poor start last Saturday to win handily in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga. With a record of 7: 6-1-0 including a 4-for-4 season this year, the Fast Anna filly owned by Nader Alaali, Mark Edwards, breeder Judy Hicks and Sherri McPeek’s Magdalena Racing also has 2024 victories in the Fantasy (G2), Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Acorn (G1).

McPeek said he believes Thorpedo Anna is ready to step up against the likes of Dornoch, Fierceness, Seize the Grey and Sierra Leone, all of whom appear to be headed for the Travers.

“I’m a big believer that the sport needs stars. It needs to be promoted,” he said. “She can do that.”

She will not have to face her stablemate Mystik Dan. The Kentucky Derby winner who also was ridden by Thorpedo Anna’s regular jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. is on a break that could last the rest of the year.

McPeek knows first hand how to triumphantly run a filly against colts. He did just that when he trained Swiss Skydiver to victory in the COVID edition of the Preakness in October 2020.

In punctuating Saturday’s announcement, McPeek said fans of Thorpedo Anna should show up wearing pink on Travers day.

“Pink hats, pink shirts, pink socks,” he said. “I’m going to be wearing pink. Anybody that’s pulling for Anna, wear pink.”