Oaklawn: Draw, posts for 2025 Azeri featuring Thorpedo Anna

Making her first start of 2025, reigning horse of the year Thorpedo Anna drew the rail post in a field of seven older fillies and mares entered Saturday for the Grade 2, $400,000 Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn.

“It won’t matter,” her trainer Kenny McPeek said after the draw Sunday. “She could’ve drawn the Central Avenue parking lot. She’ll win.”

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The 1 1/16-mile Azeri will mark Thorpedo Anna’s second visit to Oaklawn. She began her championship campaign last March by winning the Fantasy (G2), which qualified her to enter and win the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

First in five Grade 1 races in 2024, the 4-year-old Fast Anna filly owned by Nader Alaali’s Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, breeder Judy Hicks and Sherri McPeek’s Magdalena Racing will make her first start since she won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 2 at Del Mar. That was Thorpedo Anna’s first time facing older competition.

Brian Hernandez Jr., who has ridden Thorpedo Anna to a record of 10: 8-2-0 and earnings of $3,843,663, has the assignment again Saturday.

Two-time Grade 3 runner-up Alpine Princess for trainer Brad Cox, Houston Ladies Classic (G3) winner Recharge for Steve Asmussen, the Bayakoa (G3) exacta of Wild Bout Hilary and Free Like a Girl, Inside Information (G2) third-place finisher Jody’s Pride and supplemented 7-year-old Bow Draw also were entered.

The Azeri will be the 10th of Saturday’s 11 races at Oaklawn. It is scheduled to start at 6:25 p.m. EST. The first post is at 1:30 p.m.