NYRA announced Thursday that 2024 Horse of the Year and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) will ship to Saratoga next Wednesday from Kentucky. Trainer Kenny McPeek confirmed she will travel alongside last year’s GI Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents).
Thorpedo Anna enters off an impressive three-length victory in the GII, $500,000 Fleur de Lis Stakes at Churchill Downs last Saturday.
“She is fine, she is like a rocket ship,” McPeek said by phone from Kentucky. “She loves her work; she loves what she does.”
The popular 4-year-old filly’s dominant performance reassured fans following her uncharacteristic seventh-place finish in Churchill’s GI La Troienne Stakes — the first time in her 14-race career she failed to finish first or second.
McPeek expressed continued frustration about the La Troienne result, where Thorpedo Anna was severely impeded entering the first turn.
“If you are a basketball fan, that was a flagrant 2 [foul],” McPeek said. “They mugged her. The notion that (Thorpedo Anna) wasn’t right or ready is ridiculous. That was the only way they were going to beat her. I am actually still mad about it.”
The trainer dismissed speculation about regression following that performance.
“She is ready to go, same as last year,” he said. “Nothing has changed. She is a consummate professional. She does everything you ask her to do every day.”
Thorpedo Anna, owned by Brookdale Racing Ic., Mark Edwards, breeder Judy Hicks and Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek), will target the $500,000 GI Personal Ensign at Saratoga Aug. 23 and the $650,000 GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes at Keeneland Oct. 5.
McPeek hinted at bigger possibilities should those races go well.
“Let’s just say if she romps home in those two, you can make a case to entertain the [GI Breeders’ Cup] Classic,” McPeek said. “She steps up to her competition. Anyone who says she doesn’t fit … she has beaten Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) and she gave Fierceness (City of Light) all he could handle.”
Thorpedo Anna finished second in last year’s GI DK Travers Stakes, beaten a head by ‘TDN Rising Star’ Fierceness, with Sierra Leone — who later won the 2024 Classic — finishing third.
McPeek also indicated he hasn’t ruled out campaigning Thorpedo Anna next season.
While Mystik Dan will train at Saratoga, McPeek doesn’t plan to race him there. The Kentucky Derby winner most recently finished fourth in the GI Stephen Foster Stakes after winning the GIII Blame Stakes at Churchill May 31.
“I’m not planning on running him again until September,” McPeek said. “I don’t see him running at Saratoga at this point. His presence will be felt up there training.”
3-Year-Old Filly Championship On Casse’s Radar For Nitrogen
Nitrogen (Medaglia d’Oro) enters Saturday’s $500,000 GI Belmont Oaks Invitational as the overwhelming 4-5 morning line favorite, seeking her sixth consecutive victory this season.
The undefeated 3-year-old filly has gone 3-for-3 on turf this year for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse and owner D.J. Stable LLC. Beyond the 1 1/8-mile Belmont Oaks on the Mellon Turf course, Casse has ambitious plans.
“We still have our eyes set on being champion 3-year-old filly,” Casse said outside his barn on the Oklahoma Training Track. “As long as she runs respectable [in the Belmont Oaks] and comes out in good order, I think we will try the Alabama.”
The prestigious $600,000 GI Alabama Stakes on dirt at Saratoga Aug. 16 would be Nitrogen’s next target.
Nitrogen most recently dominated the GIII Wonder Again Stakes by 17 lengths when that race was moved to the dirt on Belmont Stakes Day at Saratoga last month.
“I realize she beat two other fillies that had no dirt form,” Casse said. “But it was so how fast she ran and with the ease she ran and Josse said she just skipped over the dirt.”
Her previous four victories this season came in the GII Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs, the GII Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland, the GIII Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay and the listed Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream Park — all on turf by a combined 6 3/4 lengths.
If Nitrogen advances to the Alabama, she could face stablemate La Cara (Street Sense), who upset previously unbeaten Good Cheer (Medaglia d’Oro) in the GI DK Horse Acorn Stakes at Saratoga June 6 on a sloppy track.
Casse has targeted La Cara for the $500,000 GI Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga July 19.
“La Cara still has a shot to be champion 3-year-old filly,” Casse said. “If she runs well in the Oaks, she’ll probably end up in the Alabama as well.”
The trainer expressed no concern about potentially running his top fillies against each other.
“I never worry about that,” Casse said. “Two different owners, two different running styles. I never, ever let that be a factor.”
McCarthy In No Hurry To Decide Journalism’s Next Start
Triple Crown veteran Journalism (Curlin) returned to the work tab Sunday with his first breeze since the GI Belmont Stakes, but trainer Michael McCarthy remains noncommittal about the colt’s next start.
“I’m not even sure when he is going to work back,” McCarthy said by phone from California. “He might work this weekend; we might wait a few days. He had three hard races in five weeks.”
Journalism, who competed in all three Triple Crown races this spring, worked four furlongs in 47.80 (19/109) at Santa Anita on Sunday.
“Went very well,” McCarthy said. “Pleased with what I saw. I just wanted him to stretch his legs. I am going to kind of play it by ear.”
The colt, owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Robert LaPenta, Elayne Stables Five, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, went off as the favorite in all three Triple Crown races. He finished second in both the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont Stakes behind Sovereignty (Into Mischief) while capturing the GI Preakness Stakes.
McCarthy declined to commit to either the $500,000 GII Jim Dandy at Saratoga July 26 or the $1 million GI Haskell Stakes at Monmouth July 19 for Journalism’s next start.
“I am going to let the horse tell me when he’s ready,” McCarthy said. “We have nothing on the table at this time. We are going to keep all our options open.”
