Thorpedo Anna showed no mercy in the Apple Blossom Handicap

The champion surged ahead with ease, defeating a field of lesser rivals, and is now set to run in the GI La Troienne Stakes

Another effortless victory for Thorpedo Anna / OAKLAWN PARK

HOT SPRINGS, Arkansas (Special for Turf Diario).- Thorpedo Anna, the 2024 Horse of the Year in the United States, reaffirmed her dominance with another classic victory, this time in the GI Apple Blossom Handicap (1800m, dirt, $1.25 million purse) on Saturday at Oaklawn Park, before a large crowd under sunny skies.

The daughter of Fast Anna lived up to her status as the overwhelming favorite (1-5 in the betting) with a powerful performance under her regular jockey, Brian Hernandez Jr., defeating Free Like a Girl (El Deal) by 4 1/4 lengths, with Where’s My Ring (Twirling Candy) finishing third, a further 1 1/2 lengths behind.

After tracking Wild Bout Hilary (Midnight Lute), who set an opening half-mile in 46.74 seconds, Thorpedo Annaeffortlessly moved to the outside before the final turn, took the lead, and comfortably repelled the challenge from Free Like a Girl in the stretch.

A single whip tap just before the 100-meter mark was all it took for the champion to pull away decisively, completing the 1700 meters over a fast track in a final time of 1:44.27. Carrying the race's top weight (124 pounds, 4 more than Free Like a Girl), Thorpedo Anna secured her trainer Kenny McPeek's first victory in the Apple Blossom, after coming within a whisker of glory in 2003 with Take Charge Lady (Dehere), who finished second by a mere half-length behind the unforgettable Azeri (Jade Hunter).

The representative of Judy B. Hicks, Brookdale Racing (Nader Alaali), Mark Edwards, and Magdalena Racing(Sherri McPeek, wife of the trainer), increased her earnings to $4,814,913, with a record of 10 wins from 12 starts, including 8 stakes victories.

Notably, in her seasonal return, she had triumphed by 3 1/2 lengths in the Azeri S. (G2) at Oaklawn, again defeating Free Like a Girl.

Purchased for just $40,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, Thorpedo Anna began her path to Horse of the Year honors with a 4-length victory in the Fantasy S. (G2), also at Oaklawn.

Brian Hernandez Jr. shared his thoughts on the champion's victory: “I only hit her once because she took the lead so easily on the second turn that she started pricking her ears. When she straightened up, I called on her, and she pulled away, but then she started playing, looking at the crowd and things like that. I wanted to make sure she stayed fully focused. As soon as I hit her, she kicked on again. The plan was to follow the front-runner (Wild Bout Hilary), who was traveling comfortably, but that filly had never faced one of our quality. Thorpedo Anna decided when it was time to run. I was just along for the ride. When she made that move on the second turn and switched gears, I knew everything was fine.”

Kenny McPeek elaborated: "We talked about keeping her out of trouble and maybe pressuring anyone who wanted to go to the front. Brian is a true master, and I never worry about what he decides during the race. I’ve always trusted him. When a filly costs so little, there’s a lot of pressure. But of course, it’s better to be the favorite than the outsider. I wish all trainers and riders could have a horse like her. I’ve worked my whole life trying to find one like her, and she makes everything easy for us. She’s straightforward. She loves to eat, she loves to train. It’s a real pleasure to have her around. She’s extraordinary.”

Meanwhile, Judy B. Hicks, one of the filly’s owners, commented: “I think she deserves to be mentioned among the great names that have won this race. Today, she proved she’s right there with them.”

It seems we won’t have to wait long to see Thorpedo Anna in action again, as she is expected to race in the La Troienne S. (G2) on the Kentucky Derby weekend.