Thorpedo Anna Splashes Home On Top In Kentucky Oaks

Thorpedo Anna had never run on a sloppy track, but the 3-year-old filly is named for co-owner Mark Edwards' granddaughter, competitive swimmer Anna Thorpe, and it turned out to be a winning hunch play in this year's $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks. 

"That was insane," the filly's namesake said outside the winner's circle. "I don't think any of us really thought she was going to win!"

The speedy daughter of Fast Anna grabbed the lead at the start and never relinquished it, fending off the stretch challenge of the favorite, champion Just F Y I, to cross the wire about four lengths the best. It was the first Kentucky Oaks victory for trainer Ken McPeek and jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr., both regulars on the Kentucky circuit.

Sent off as the 4-1 second choice, Thorpedo Anna ran nine furlongs over the sloppy Churchill Downs oval in 1:50.82. Just F Y I finished second as the 7-2 favorite, and Regulatory Risk checked in third at odds of 29-1.

"She's answered every question we've thrown at her," Hernandez said of the filly co-owned by Mark Edwards, Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek), Brookdale Racing, and breeder Judy Hicks.

Despite being slightly restless in the starting gate, Thorpedo Anna was able to break on top of the 14-horse field for the Kentucky Oaks. Hernandez allowed the filly to use her speed around the clubhouse turn and into the backstretch, setting early fractions of 22.87 and 46.79 seconds. Just F Y I was a joint fourth behind the frontrunner, with eventual third-place finisher Regulatory Risk traveling near the rail in seventh early on.

In mid-backstretch, the journeyman Hernandez eased back on the accelerator to give Thorpedo Anna a breather; the pair recorded six furlongs in 1:11.75, a split of 24.96 seconds.

That veteran move allowed Thorpedo Anna to have an answer when challenged by 2-year-old champion and Breeders' Cup winner Just F Y I at the head of the lane. Making just her second start off the layoff, the Bill Mott trainee was unable to stay with Thorpedo Anna in the stretch and had to settle for second.

Third-place finisher Regulatory Risk was also near the front half of the field in the early going, ranged up into second around the far turn, and was passed by Just F Y I but held on to close out the trifecta. Her Chad Brown-trained stablemate Ways and Means (5-1) finished fourth, with 41-1 longshot Everland checking in fifth. 

Bred in Kentucky by Judy Hicks, Thorpedo Anna is out of the Uncle Mo mare Sataves. Hicks sold the filly for $40,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling sale, but ultimately opted to stay in with a partnership formed by McPeek. The filly won her debut at Keeneland and was impressive at second asking when winning an allowance beneath the Twin Spires, but finished second in the G2 Golden Rod Stakes to close out her juvenile season.

Thorpedo Anna returned off a four-month layoff in the G2 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park, dominating the field by four lengths and earning her spot in the field for the Kentucky Oaks. Overall, the filly is now a four-time winner from five career starts, with earnings of over $1 million.