Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks and Magdalena Racing’s sensational Kentucky-bred Thorpedo Anna made short work of her rivals in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at Del Mar, posting a 2 ½-length score in the 41st running of the prestigious race.
Trained by Kenny McPeek and ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Thorpedo Anna assumed command at the break. She was tracked in second by Raging Sea. On the far turn, Thorpedo Anna kicked away and claimed her sixth victory in seven starts this year, winning comfortably by 3 ¼ lengths. She completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.10. The victory was worth $1,040,000 and increased Thorpedo Anna’s earnings to $3,843,663. It was her fifth Grade 1 victory of the year. Her only defeat came against males when she was narrowly beaten by Fierceness in the Travers S. (G1) at Saratoga over the summer.
Business as Usual for Thorpedo Anna
Thorpedo Anna is a leading candidate for Horse of the Year honors. In addition to her score in the Distaff, she won the Fantasy S. (G2), Kentucky Oaks (G1), Acorn S. (G1), the CCA Oaks (G1), and the Cotillion S. (G1). Thorpedo Anna is a 3-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Fast Anna out of the Uncle Mo mare Sataves. She was bred by co-owner Judy Hicks.
“She keeps it rolling, doesn’t she? It was workmanlike,” noted McPeek, who notched his first ever Breeders’ Cup win. “She just went out there and did her thing. There wasn’t a whole lot that was complicated about it. I didn’t have too many doubts. Just didn’t want anything silly to happen. Just let her do her thing and Brian did great. She just does everything so easily. We have every intention to run her next year. She is a filly that likes to do it and, hopefully, we’ll entertain a lot of people with her in 2025. Anytime you run a horse like her, it’s emotional.”
Hernandez said of Thorpedo Anna’s effort, “It was just typical. She left there sharp, she was the best filly in the race, and I just rode her accordingly like I thought she was going to be the best filly. She went out there and proved it for us and crossed the wire with her ears up, just proud of herself like always. It’s been an amazing year. To win the races we’ve won with her and to top it off with the Kentucky Derby (Mystik Dan) as well has been a year we always dream amount and every jockey hopes to be in those shoes. To be able to fulfill it has been very meaningful.”