Saratoga 2024: Thorpedo Anna has 5 challengers in CCA Oaks

Thorpedo Anna returns to the scene of her dominant Acorn victory to attempt her third consecutive Grade 1 triumph, this time in Saturday’s $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks, a 1 1/8-mile route for sophomore fillies at Saratoga.

Owned by Nader Alaali, Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks and Magdalena Racing and trained by Kenny McPeek, Thorpedo Anna seeks to maintain her place atop the sophomore-filly rankings on the heels of a tremendous spring that saw her notch three graded-stakes victories. They were led by open-lengths romps in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 3 at Churchill Downs and the Acorn (G1) on June 7 at Saratoga as part of the Belmont Stakes racing festival.

Zipse: Thorpedo Anna has uphill climb to horse of the year.

The daughter of Fast Anna helped provide McPeek with the historic feat of training both the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby winner in the same year, posting her 4 3/4-length victory one day before Mystik Dan captured the run for the roses. The bay filly, often referred to by McPeek as a grizzly bear, earned her place in the Oaks starting gate with a similarly dominant effort in the Fantasy (G2) in March at Oaklawn.

With three strong, graded victories on her résumé, Thorpedo Anna entered the Acorn as the heavy favorite in a field of eight that included returning rival Leslie’s Rose. Piloted by regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr., Thorpedo Anna attended the pace set by 2023 champion 2-year-old filly Just F Y I before taking command with ease in the turn. She powered home strongly from rallying Leslie’s Rose and, despite losing a shoe in the first turn, won by 5 1/2 lengths geared down to a final time of 1:49.02.

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Following her eye-catching victory, Thorpedo Anna has remained at Saratoga to prepare for the CCA Oaks and has worked regularly over the Spa’s Oklahoma training track, most recently covering five furlongs in 1:01.55 in company with Grade 3-placed Gould’s Gold on Saturday. McPeek described the effort as a “nice, solid work” and added the talented bay is right at home at Saratoga.

“She’s done great here and she goes out the first set. She’s been happy,” McPeek said. “She does everything we ask her. She likes her work, and she’s an easy filly to be around.”

The sizable filly is an imposing athlete on the racetrack and stands out against her female rivals as a heftier individual that more resembles the colts of her crop. McPeek said those physical attributes have helped Thorpedo Anna to reach her levels of dominance.

“She eats extremely well, which is not something that all fillies do,” McPeek said. “She’s aggressive in the feed tub at night, and that makes our job a lot easier when she’s like that.”

Hernandez has the call again from post 3.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher brings two contenders in search of a record-extending ninth CCA Oaks victory, entering Grade 1 winners Leslie’s Rose in post 4 with John Velázquez and Candied in post 1 with Manny Franco.

Whisper Hill Farm’s Grade 1 Ashland-winner Leslie’s Rose finished a game second last out to Thorpedo Anna in the Acorn, improving markedly from a distant, off-the-board finish over sloppy and sealed footing in the Kentucky Oaks. The daughter of Into Mischief earned her way into the Oaks with her three-length Ashland triumph along with a third in the Davona Dale (G2) in March at Gulfstream.

In the Acorn, Leslie’s Rose saved ground in third early under Irad Ortiz Jr. and put in a strong three-wide bid in the far turn but was no match for Thorpedo Anna that day and settled for second 5 1/2 lengths back while besting Power Squeeze by 1 1/4 lengths for place honors.

Pletcher said he was pleased to see Leslie’s Rose bounce back from a lackluster Kentucky Oaks performance.

“Same as always, very consistent,” Pletcher said of her training. “The only thing we’ve seen with her is that she doesn’t like a wet track. Unfortunately that’s what we got in the Oaks, but she rebounded well and gave us a good race in the Acorn. She was second best on the day, but to her credit, she ran a very good race.”

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Candied scored a redemptive victory last out with a 4 1/2-length romp over next-out Delaware Handicap (G2) winner Honor D Lady in the 1 1/16-mile, listed Lady’s Secret on June 8 at Monmouth Park. The daughter of Candy Ride posted a strong 2-for-3 juvenile campaign with a win in the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland and a close third-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita.

This year Candied finished fourth to Leslie’s Rose in the Ashland and was on the outside looking in at the Oaks when landing on the also-eligible list. She did not draw into the field and was away from the races until her win in the Lady’s Secret.

“It was good to get her back (to the winner’s circle), and it was frustrating not to get in the Oaks with her, so it’s good to get her back on course,” Pletcher said. “Hopefully that sets her up to make a big move forward.”

Pletcher said he welcomes another swing at Thorpedo Anna.

“We need to move forward, and I think with both fillies we are in a position to do that,” he said. “Sometimes strange things happen in Saratoga.”

Graded-stakes winner Intricate in post 5 with Tyler Gaffalione seeks her first win since taking the Golden Rod (G2) in November at Churchill for trainer Brendan Walsh.

Owned by Bradley Thoroughbreds, Laura Leigh Stable, Scott Estes and Cambron Equine, the daughter of Gun Runner graduated impressively at second asking in October at Keeneland ahead of a facile 5 1/4-length victory in the Golden Rod, where Thorpedo Anna finished second in her lone career defeat. Intricate followed with a runner-up effort in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) at Fair Grounds en route to a fifth in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) in March.

Intricate was away from the races until her latest outing when she was a close second to Our Pretty Woman in the 1 1/16-mile Monomoy Girl on June 15 at Churchill Downs. The $280,000 OBS spring sale of 2-year-olds-in-training purchase is out of the winning Distorted Humor mare Complex Analysis, a full-sister to graded-stakes-placed Abraham.

Stakes-placed Barbratina in post 2 with Júnior Alvarado completes the field. Owned by Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables, Big Tufff Stables, Steve Adkisson and Tommy Humphries, she makes her first start for conditioner George Weaver on the heels of a determined, head victory in a 1 1/8-mile optional claimer June 1 at Churchill.

The CCA Oaks is the 11th of 12 races Saturday, and it is scheduled for 6:17 p.m. EDT. The first post is at 12:35 p.m.