In different circumstances, Kentucky Oaks (G1) romper Thorpedo Anna would have tackled the boys in the Belmont (G1). But since her Kentucky Derby (G1)-winning stablemate Mystik Dan is ready to proceed to the third jewel of the Triple Crown, Thorpedo Anna instead stays among the fillies in Friday’s $500,000 Acorn (G1).
Five of the vanquished from the Oaks – runner-up Just F Y I, third Regulatory Risk, belated sixth Power Squeeze, troubled 10th Where’s My Ring, and Leslie’s Rose, a too-bad-to-be-true 13th – will try to turn the tables at Saratoga.
Although the Acorn historically involves one turn at Belmont Park, the move upstate has prompted a lengthening in distance. Now revamped as a 1 1/8-mile affair, it is held over the same trip as the Kentucky Oaks. And with a healthy chance of rain in the forecast, Thorpedo Anna could get another off track that she splashed through so effectively at Churchill Downs. The 8-5 morning line favorite is also tactically drawn on the outside with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.
“She’s all that,” trainer Kenny McPeek told NYRA publicity. “Any other year, we’d run her in the Belmont. I wouldn’t be scared to line her up with them (males). She might line up with them before the end of the year.”
“She’s done everything right. She’s one that might be on the improve as well because she’s only had two starts all year. She had the Fantasy (G3) and the Oaks, and I’m not sure she was even 100 percent yet. She might be improving.”
McPeek contrasted Thorpedo Anna with his champion filly Swiss Skydiver, who won the 2020 Preakness (G1) over Derby hero and eventual Horse of the Year Authentic.
“Physically they’re a lot different,” the horseman said. “Swiss Skydiver was a bull of a filly, and this filly is more leggy and mentally is a little trickier to deal with. Swiss was workmanlike. This filly is like a walking banjo string every day – morning and afternoon – something pops and she could go.”
Just F Y I, last year’s unbeaten Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) champion, can claim experience over the track. The Bill Mott trainee was along in time in her six-furlong debut at the Spa last summer. Like Thorpedo Anna, Just F Y I had a delayed start to her sophomore season. She’s settled for second-best in the Ashland (G1) and Oaks, but the daughter of hot sire Justify has been firing bullets of late.
Considering that Where’s My Ring had comprehensively beaten Regulatory Risk in the Gazelle (G3) two back, she has a case to improve with a clean trip here. A similar comment applies to the Ashland heroine, Leslie’s Rose, who was light years below form in the Churchill slop.
“I think she absolutely hated the slop,” trainer Todd Pletcher said of Leslie’s Rose, “and I had concerns about it because she had been training absolutely great every day we were there, except the Tuesday before the Oaks when we had a sloppy track. She was noticeably less aggressive and didn’t seem to care for it. She never really had any experience on a sloppy track, so I was hoping maybe in a race scenario she could overcome it, but Irad (Ortiz Jr.) said she hated it the whole way.”
Leslie’s Rose keeps Ortiz aboard while hoping that the weather doesn’t turn against her.
Gun Song, a battling second to Leslie’s Rose earlier this season at Gulfstream Park, comes off her new career high in the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) at Pimlico. The Mark Hennig pupil proved that her fourth to Power Squeeze in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) couldn’t be taken literally. The pace here, though, is likely to be livelier than the Pimlico cakewalk.
My Mane Squeeze was well behind Thorpedo Anna in the Fantasy, but the New York-bred never did herself justice after acting up in the gate. Trainer Mike Maker regrouped in the Eight Belles (G2), where the Audible filly rolled from just off the pace, and now she stretches back out. My Mane Squeeze, like Just F Y I, also sports a local maiden win. So does Becky’s Joker, who surprised on debut in the Schuylerville (G3). Sidelined since her seventh in the Adirondack (G3), the Gary Contessa giantess is cross-entered to Thursday’s Jersey Girl S.
