Reigning Horse of the 12 months Thorpedo Anna makes her fifth begin of the yr within the Private Ensign Stakes, a marquee race for older females Saturday at Saratoga Race Course that additionally drew final yr’s winner, Raging Sea. In reality, 5 of the seven entrants are Grade 1 winners.
The Private Ensign is known as after one of many sport’s most celebrated feminine racehorses, who retired with an ideal 13-for-13 report after successful the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Distaff. This yr’s occasion is a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the 2025 Longines Distaff Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
1. Randomized (4-1 morning-line odds): Stylish a number of Grade 1 winner ran second within the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Distaff and has been a fixture within the division for a number of years. She’s 3-for-6 profession at Saratoga and enters off a front-running, three-length win within the Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth Park. She has set the tempo in all six of her profession wins, so count on her to be despatched to the entrance in a race with loads of tempo.
JOCKEY: Manny Franco; TRAINER: Chad Brown
2. Dazzling Transfer (12-1): Speedy graded stakes winner enters off back-to-back seconds within the Ogden Phipps Stakes Introduced by Ford and Shuvee Stakes right here at Saratoga. A tempo presence who may dangle on for a minor award at an interesting value.
JOCKEY: Jose Ortiz; TRAINER: Saffie Joseph Jr.
3. Raging Sea (5-1): Final yr’s Distaff runner-up to Thorpedo Anna began the season with a bang, defeating Randomized, Dorth Vader, and Thorpedo Anna in a three-quarter-length victory within the Fasig-Tipton La Troienne Stakes Might 2 at Churchill Downs. She has run third, crushed by 6 ½ lengths and 13 ½ lengths in two subsequent begins, so she’ll have to get again to her finest to win.
JOCKEY: Flavien Prat; TRAINER: Chad Brown
4. Dorth Vader (6-1): She received the Ogden Phipps Stakes at this monitor and distance June 6, romping by 4 ¾ lengths on a sloppy monitor towards a discipline that included 4 horses she’ll face once more right here, together with Raging Sea and Randomized. She adopted with an unplaced end behind Randomized within the Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Park, making her a little bit of a query on this spot.
JOCKEY: John Velazquez; TRAINER: George Weaver
5. Bernietakescharge (20-1): She’s one other filly whose current wins have all come when setting the tempo, and she or he’ll be examined right here in her first try in a graded stakes. Velocity figures point out she’s quick sufficient to be aggressive, however she’ll have loads of firm up entrance from confirmed Grade 1 winners.
JOCKEY: Romero Maragh; TRAINER: Domenick Schettino
6. Leslie’s Rose (9-2): Posted career-top Equibase and Beyer Velocity Figures in her most up-to-date begin, a 3 ¾-length win within the Shuvee Stakes July 18 at Saratoga, the place she defeated Raging Sea and Dazzling Transfer. She most likely would wish to enhance once more to defeat Thorpedo Anna, who beat her by 5 or extra lengths in all three conferences in 2024, however she is in terrific kind.
JOCKEY: Irad Ortiz Jr.; TRAINER: Todd Pletcher
7. Thorpedo Anna (6-5): She bounced again from a head-scratching seventh-place end within the La Troienne Stakes Might 2 with a three-length win within the Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis Stakes June 28. The La Troienne was the lone unplaced end in 14 profession begins for the 2024 Horse of the 12 months, however in 4 races this season she has but to match her finest Equibase or Beyer Velocity Determine from a yr in the past. Nonetheless, Thorpedo Anna is the one to beat within the Private Ensign. She has three wins by three lengths or extra in 4 begins this season and ran the quickest race of her profession at Saratoga final summer season within the DraftKings Travers Stakes when second towards males.
JOCKEY: Brian Hernandez Jr.; TRAINER: Kenny McPeek
THE PICK: Thorpedo Anna
LONGSHOT: Dazzling Transfer
SUPERFECTA: 7-3-6-2
