Thorpedo Anna put to relaxation any lingering doubts about her abilities as a 4-year-old by thundering to her seventh stakes rating within the $498,500 Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis Stakes June 28 at Churchill Downs.
Even earlier than the daughter of Quick Anna’s victory Saturday, breeder and co-owner Judy Hicks had mentioned the filly’s 2024 Horse of the 12 months accolades already given her and her companions the joys of a lifetime. Seeing her star athlete return to the winner’s circle introduced tears to Hicks’ eyes.
“She was good. She’s again,” Hicks mentioned.
Returning to the positioning of her disappointing loss in Might’s Grade 1 Fasig-Tipton La Troienne Stakes, jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. might really feel issues can be completely different as quickly because the gates opened.
“That first bounce when she left cleanly and was there, I used to be like, ‘Alright, we’re wonderful from this level,'” Hernandez mentioned.
Thorpedo Anna latched onto the pacesetting Royal Spa by early fractions of :23.43 and :47.07.
“I simply needed to remain out of her method and preserve her in her good rhythm,” Hernandez mentioned. “We turned for house, simply let her out a notch, and off she went.”
Thorpedo Anna struck the entrance on the high of the stretch. Royal Spa eyeballed Thorpedo Anna and dug in with all she had however could not stick with the champion, who streaked clear to a thunderous roar of applause from the Churchill Downs grandstand.
Royal Spa settled for second. Taxed accomplished the trifecta in third.
Thorpedo Anna ($2.70) crossed the wire three lengths in entrance in a remaining time of 1:48.52 for the 1 1/8 miles.
“We have three races earlier than the yr’s out. Proper now the Private Ensign is perhaps it, there is a good probability she’ll be up at Saratoga,” mentioned coach Kenny McPeek, sporting a recent tattoo paying homage to the accomplishments of his notorious 2024 Kentucky Derby/Oaks double with Mystik Dan and Thorpedo Anna underneath his go well with jacket.
The final word purpose is a return journey to defend her title within the $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff. The Fleur de Lis was a Breeders’ Cup Problem Sequence Win and You are In occasion. Along with her victory, Torpedo Anna an computerized slot into the Del Mar beginning gate Nov. 1 for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
