Thorpedo Anna outclassed rivals in Saturday’s $1,728,000 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at Del Mar, seizing the initiative at the break and drawing off to a 2 1/2-length decision in the 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares.
The presumptive three-year-old filly champion also made a serious case for Horse of the Year honors, recording her fifth Grade 1 win of 2024, and regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. had the mount for Kenny McPeek.
The Distaff marked her first start against older rivals, and Thorpedo Anna took it to her competition the break, establishing fractions in :23.81, :47.99, and 1:12.01 on a short lead, and she accelerated entering the stretch, completing 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.10 as the 2-5 favorite.
“Yeah, that was our game plan,” Hernandez said of showing speed at the start. “Kenny and I discussed it. She’s the best filly in the country this year. We wanted to ride her accordingly.”
Winner of the Kentucky Oaks (G1), Acorn (G1), Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), Cotillion (G1), and Fantasy (G2) this year, Thorpedo Anna sustained her lone defeat but performed admirably when trying males in the Travers (G1) in late August, missing by a head to Fierceness, who came back to finish second to Sierra Leone in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) two races later on the program.
Thorpedo Anna owns the head-to-head edge over Sierra Leone, who finished third in the Travers, and Horse of the Year may come down to the three-year-olds.
“Well, it’s a little bit of a relief,” McPeek said after snapping a 0-for-37 streak in the Breeders’ Cup. “At the same time I was proud of the runners I’ve had in the past. It’s a humbling business. She’s so special, makes it look so easy. Really made our job easy all year long.”
Thorpedo Anna yielded the second-lowest win payout ($2.80) in Breeders’ Cup history, behind only the $2.40 Meadow Star paid for winning the 1990 Juvenile Fillies (G1).
Raging Sea, who defeated Idiomatic in the Personal Ensign (G1) two starts previously and entered the Distaff with a three-race graded win streak, tracked an up-close second before being humbled in upper stretch by Thorpedo Anna, who put the race away quickly with her turn of foot.
“That was the thing; the entire race, she was just loaded and doing her normal things,” Hernandez said when asked if he felt loaded turning for home. “You watch her train in the mornings and stuff like that. She clips off 12s, 12s, 12s. That’s what she did today. When she gets in her nice, comfortable rhythm, all I have to do is stay out of her way.”
Raging Sea held second by nearly four lengths as the 4.10-1 second choice. Candied edged Japanese invader Alice Verite by a half-length for third, and Sugar Fish, Che Evasora, and Honor D Lady followed.
Campaigned by Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, breeder Judy B. Hicks, and Sherri McPeek’s Magdalena Racing, Thorpedo Anna increased her earnings to $3,843,663 from a 10-8-2-0 record. Her only loss against fillies came in last year’s Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill Downs.
“We’ve had a lot of horses we hope they win,” co-owner Edwards said. “When she runs, I expect her to win. Obviously it’s a horse race and that doesn’t always happen. Boy, she is so special. She’s such a treat to be around. She’s feisty and she’s fast.”
Check out 2024 Breeders’ Cup News and Notes from TwinSpires.
