Thorpedo Anna could try Travers after overcoming trouble in Coaching Club American Oaks

Jul 20, 2024 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Even a troubled start couldn’t put a dent in Thorpedo Anna’s superiority in Saturday’s $465,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga. The prohibitive 1-4 favorite merely created some early suspense for her fans before storming to her fourth consecutive victory, increasing the chances of her tackling males in the Aug. 24 Travers (G1).

“I’m inclined to do that, aren’t I,” trainer Ken McPeek said of pitching in fillies against the boys.

In 2020, McPeek famously sent Swiss Skydiver out to beat Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Authentic in the Preakness (G1). Thorpedo Anna has already achieved something that Swiss Skydiver didn’t – winning the Kentucky Oaks (G1) – and the open-looking picture among the males is another factor.

“I like challenges,” McPeek told NYRA publicity. “I’d be sticking my neck out a little bit, but I think the sport could really enjoy seeing a filly take on the colts. Whether it’s Genuine Risk (the 1980 Kentucky Derby heroine) or Winning Colors (the 1988 Derby vixen) or Swiss (Skydiver) – I’ll look at the numbers, look at them really hard and try to make an educated decision if I think we can run with them.

“I watched Dornoch today,” the horseman added regarding Saturday’s Haskell (G1) winner, “and he ran 1:50 and change – there’s not much separation there, at least on time. It’s a good problem.”

Comparing raw times across different tracks is methodologically hazardous. For whatever it’s worth, Thorpedo Anna clocked her 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.95 at the Spa, while Dornoch had more competition to push him to finish the same distance in 1:50.31 at Monmouth Park.

Indeed, Thorpedo Anna was her own biggest obstacle when she broke awkwardly. Lunging at the start, she hit the gate and found herself last. But her athleticism and tactical speed got her out of a potentially tricky position, and she rolled right up into a stalking second.

“She got just a little anxious in there a couple of times,” jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. said, “and right before they sprung them, she kinda got a little anxious again and then when she broke she just like hopped up. It just goes to show you how talented she is ‘cause when she hopped, she came down so fast that they weren't able to get away from her and she was able to secure that spot going into the first turn.”

Thorpedo Anna was comfortably monitoring front-running Leslie’s Rose until Hernandez gave her the cue on the far turn.

“Going into the second turn, Leslie's Rose kinda swirled away from us, and I was just waiting on her,” Hernandez said. “I said, ‘well, if she could overcome what she did at the start, we’ll know how good she is.’ I asked her for just half a step and she jumped forward so quick. I said, ‘OK, now we are in good shape.’ I can just let her cruise by Leslie's Rose and go on about her business.”

That’s exactly what Thorpedo Anna did. The daughter of Fast Anna rapidly overhauled the pacesetter and opened up before they reached the top of the lane.

Candied tried to rally and make a race of it, but Thorpedo Anna widened her margin to 4 1/2 lengths at the wire. Another four lengths back in third came Intricate, and Leslie’s Rose faded to last of the quartet. Longshot Barbratina was scratched.

She does it again! 🐻✨

Thorpedo Anna dominates in the G1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga! 🏆 @b_hernandezjr @KennyMcPeek pic.twitter.com/E1jk8IDB7e

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) July 20, 2024

Thorpedo Anna’s resume now reads 7-6-1-0, $1,980,663, featuring wins in the Fantasy (G3), Kentucky Oaks, and Acorn (G1) prior to the Coaching Club American Oaks.

“I hope we haven’t seen the best of her yet,” McPeek said. “We’ve seen quite a bit of good of her. She really hasn’t been challenged. Even today, he didn’t hit her. He said he flagged her, but he didn’t actually reach back and hit her. We don’t know what will happen when he does that – she might find two or three more lengths.”

Hernandez confirmed that Thorpedo Anna had more in reserve if needed.

“The last eighth of a mile, it was just her,” her regular rider said. “She had her ears up and was looking around at the grandstand. I was kinda looking out of the corner of my eye at the infield at the big screen to make sure no one was really making a run at her. She was just kinda playing around and messing with me more than anything.”

Thorpedo Anna’s dominance leaves less of an incentive to stick with her own division in the Alabama (G1).

“If I run her in the Alabama, as a wagering (proposition), it’s no fun for anybody,” McPeek observed. “Nobody is going to run against her and what would she be – 1-2 or less?”

The Travers offers more unknowns, but as the adage goes, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

“A mile and a quarter – I don’t know where she fits another eighth of a mile,” McPeek added regarding the Travers distance. “How many colts really want to go that far, too? Can she? I think she’ll keep going.”