Thorpedo Anna bids for Travers history against Dornoch, Fierceness

Aug 20, 2024 Kellie Reilly / TwinSpires.com

Thorpedo Anna aims to become the first filly in more than a century to win the $1.25 million Travers (G1) at Saratoga on Saturday. But she’ll have to overcome a strong group of males, including Belmont (G1) hero Dornoch, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) champion Fierceness, and Kentucky Derby (G1) near-misser Sierra Leone.

Female winners were not so unusual in the early history of the Travers. Maiden (1865) led home a fillies’ trifecta in the second running. Ruthless, who beat the boys in the inaugural Belmont in 1867, added the Travers that summer. The Banshee (1868), Sultana (1876), Liza (1895), and Ada Nay (1903) etched their names on the Travers honor roll, ultimately followed by Lady Rotha (1915).

But Lady Rotha didn’t cross the wire first. She was actually second, six lengths behind Trial by Jury, who was disqualified for interference. The stewards awarded the victory to Lady Rotha in a controversial decision.

No fillies have won the Travers in the past 109 years, and few have even tried in recent decades. According to the New York Racing Association, just four females have run in the 1 1/4-mile feature since 1960.

Hall of Famer Chris Evert, named for the tennis great, fared best among them when placing third in 1974. Two other Hall of Famers, Cicada and Davona Dale, also made attempts. Davona Dale finished fourth in 1979, and Cicada trailed in 1962. The latest filly to race in the Travers, Wonder Gadot in 2018, likewise wound up last.

Thorpedo Anna has already contributed to a historic achievement this season, as the first half of trainer Ken McPeek’s Kentucky Oaks (G1)/Derby double. One day after she dominated the Oaks, stablemate Mystik Dan prevailed in a three-way Derby thriller at Churchill Downs. McPeek became the first trainer since 1952 to win the Oaks and Derby in the same year.

# 5 Thorpedo Anna takes the 150th Kentucky Oaks!

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Although Mystik Dan is enjoying a well-deserved vacation, his experience on the Triple Crown trail has given McPeek insight into the competition. Mystik Dan was Thorpedo Anna’s workmate at times through the spring, and he had to work harder to cope with her exuberant speed.

Thorpedo Anna has carried that zest from her morning works into her races, establishing herself as far and away the best three-year-old filly. She’s not only unbeaten this campaign; she’s romped by at least four lengths in her division’s marquee events, including the Acorn (G1) and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga.

McPeek recognized the Travers as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for his star filly. He seized a similar chance in the 2020 Preakness (G1) with champion filly Swiss Skydiver, who outdueled Kentucky Derby winner and eventual Horse of the Year Authentic at Pimlico.

The Travers promises to be Thorpedo Anna’s stiffest test yet. The distance and race dynamics could compound her challenge of taking on the boys.

Thorpedo Anna will be making her first start beyond 1 1/8 miles. The 1 1/4-mile Travers will expose any stamina limitations, especially since her leading rivals have experience over the distance.

Drawn on the rail with regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr., Thorpedo Anna will have to use her speed to secure position. But Dornoch and Fierceness are free-running types who figure to go forward as well, so she won’t get away with an easy lead.

Dornoch, the 5-2 favorite on the morning line, arrives as the pro tem divisional leader. After a troubled 10th in the Kentucky Derby, he rebounded with a gutsy victory in the June 8 Belmont at this track and trip. The Danny Gargan trainee again showed his fighting spirit to edge clear in the July 20 Haskell (G1).

If Dornoch makes it a hat trick in the Travers, he’d put himself in position for an Eclipse Award as the champion three-year-old male. Dornoch hopes to succeed where both his sire, Good Magic, and Derby-winning brother, Mage, failed. Good Magic was ninth in the 2018 Travers, and Mage was last among seven here a year ago.

Fierceness, last year’s champion two-year-old male, has yet to win two straight races. But adverse circumstances explain his alternating pattern of losses more than any innate inconsistency on his part.

His past two efforts illustrate the point. The Todd Pletcher pupil went off as the Kentucky Derby favorite, only to be burned up in the pace and tired to 15th. Next time in the July 27 Jim Dandy (G2) at Saratoga last out, Fierceness enjoyed a more favorable stalking scenario and promptly won.

When Fierceness gets in his comfort zone, he’s capable of devastating performances, as seen in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Florida Derby (G1). It helps that Fierceness is drawn on the outside in the Travers, and jockey John Velazquez can monitor Thorpedo Anna and Dornoch to his inside.

Still, the likelihood of a genuine pace could play right into the hands of stretch-running Sierra Leone, winner of the Risen Star (G2) and Blue Grass (G1) earlier in the year.

A nose away from Derby glory and third in the Belmont, Sierra Leone came back to finish an eye-catching second to Fierceness in the Jim Dandy. Trainer Chad Brown has been making adjustments to help Sierra Leone rally better, and the $2.3 million yearling appears to be responding.

Honor Marie is also a deep closer who can benefit from a robust pace. The Louisiana Derby (G2) runner-up has endured tough trips in the Triple Crown. Eighth in the Derby and fourth in the Belmont, Honor Marie adds blinkers and gets a rider switch to Tyler Gaffalione for the Travers.

That jockey angle furnishes an intriguing Travers storyline. Gaffalione used to ride Sierra Leone but lost the mount to Flavien Prat before the Belmont. Now Gaffalione rides Honor Marie for trainer Whit Beckman, Brown’s former assistant.

In addition to Sierra Leone, Brown has a second contender in the unbeaten class-climbing Unmatched Wisdom. The Klaravich Stables runner wired the Curlin S. in his stakes debut, suggesting that he’ll be close to the early fray from post 3.

Other late developers who weren’t ready for the Derby trail are Batten Down and Corporate Power.

Batten Down entered the picture with a frontrunning score in the Ohio Derby (G3). Subsequently a distant third in the Jim Dandy, Batten Down still has upside for Bill Mott. The Tapit blueblood is a full brother to $2.2 million-earner Tacitus, the runner-up in the 2019 Belmont and Travers.

Corporate Power prevailed in a photo finish in the Sir Barton S. on Preakness Day. He couldn’t reel in the loose-on-the-lead Unmatched Wisdom in the Curlin, but trainer Shug McGaughey hopes that a more contentious pace scenario will help his chances.

The Travers will go off at 6:10 p.m. ET as the 13th of 14 races on a blockbuster day at Saratoga. You can watch and wager at TwinSpires.com.