Thorpedo Anna Much the Best in 150th Kentucky Oaks

May 3rd, 2024 by Tom Pedulla

Kentucky Oaks Thorpedo Anna Churchill Downs Ken McPeek Brian Hernandez jockey trainer Just F Y I Regulatory Risk horse racing Brookdale Edwards Hicks Magdalena filly Fast Anna sloppy racetrack horse racing

Thorpedo Anna and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. are well clear of the rest of the Kentucky Oaks field May 3 in front of a crowd over 100,000 at Churchill Downs. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Trainer Ken McPeek, a runner-up once in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve and three more times in the Kentucky Oaks, ended decades of frustration when Thorpedo Anna rolled by 4 ¾ lengths the 150^th Longines Kentucky Oaks May 3 at Churchill Downs.

McPeek, a Lexington, Ky., native, may have thought victories in the biggest races in his home state would come easily when Tejano Run turned in a strong performance in the 1995 Kentucky Derby, just one decade after the trainer opened his barn. But then his frustration in the Oaks began, culminating when Swiss Skydiver was second best in the nation’s premier race for 3-year-old fillies in 2020. Swiss Skydiver showed her enormous talent when she rebounded to defeat males in the Preakness Stakes in her next start.

McPeek was supremely confident in the days before the Oaks that Thorpedo Anna would handle his unfinished business for him. “They better bring a bear because I’ve got a grizzly,” the outspoken conditioner said whenever anyone asked about his prospects.

After other disappointments, this filly did not disappoint. “It does add to it,” McPeek said, referring to near misses. “But setbacks are part of the game. You have to deal with the losses and learn from the losses.”

McPeek, 61, has been excited about Thorpedo Anna since she dominated her Oct. 8 debut by 8 ½ lengths at Keeneland. She went on to take two of three as a juvenile. His enthusiasm grew when, in her lone sophomore start before the Oaks, she controlled the March 30 Fantasy Stakes by four lengths at Oaklawn Park.

Neither a sloppy surface nor 13 opponents could stop the daughter of Fast Anna in the $1.5 million Oaks held at 1 1/8 miles, which she won by setting the pace from start to finish and completed in 1:50.83 as the 4.49-second betting choice. “She gave me everything she had. She’s a great filly,” said regular rider Brian Hernandez, Jr.

Just F Y I, the 2-year-old champion filly of 2023, was a well-beaten second as the 3.57-1 favorite. Regulatory Risk, trained by Chad Brown, finished third at 29.78-1 followed by stablemate Ways and Means. Everland, at 41.52-1, checked in fifth in the first dirt start of her career. She is noteworthy because trainer Eric Foster claimed her for $30,000 out of a maiden race Dec. 30 at Turfway Park.

Jockey Junior Alvarado was proud of Just FYI in defeat. “She ran a great race,” he said, adding, “Turning for home, I thought I had a chance to win the race. But I was just second best.”

McPeek and Hernandez thought there was an opportunity for Thorpedo Anna to establish an early lead after breaking from post five on the rainy afternoon and they were right. She covered the opening quarter of a mile in 22.87 seconds and the half in 46.79 seconds.

A jubilant Sherri and Ken McPeek hoist the Oaks trophy. (Eclipse Sportswire)

“Twenty-two and change and 46 and change made me a bit nervous,” McPeek acknowledged, “but she was doing it within herself.” Hernandez was able to back off a little bit as three-quarters went in 1:11.75, surely a heady move by the rider and an important breather for his mount.

McPeek is grateful his long wait for a triumph of this magnitude is over. “It’s special,” he said. “We have a great team and a great group of clientele who give us opportunities to buy horses at auction.”

McPeek is known for his keen eye in assessing racing prospects. He purchased Thorpedo Anna for a relatively modest $40,000. She is owned by Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks and Sherri McPeek’s Magdalena Racing. Her career earnings spiked to $1,430,663 with her fourth victory in five starts.

“I’ve had several horses with him,” noted Edwards. “One of his exercise riders, a former jockey, says Kenny is a seven-second man. He looks at a horse for seven seconds, he can tell if it’s a good one. So I give him all the credit.”

McPeek also is known for his risk-taking nature. Although Thorpedo Anna is not nominated to the Triple Crown series, there is the possibility she will go on to the May 18 Preakness Stakes at Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course.

“I’ve thought about it already,” the trainer said. “It would be like me to do something like that.”