Three challengers tried to overtake front-running Thorpedo Anna in the 150th edition of the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 3 at Churchill Downs, but the determined filly repelled each one in turn, securing a commanding 4 3/4-length victory on a sloppy track.
Taking the lead and hugging the rail as she passed the wire for the first time in the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-old fillies, Thorpedo Anna quickly dispatched a backstretch challenge from Fiona’s Magic. As she entered the far turn, grade 1-placed Ways and Means pressed her, but the resilient filly held firm. Finally, as they entered the stretch, champion 2-year-old filly Just F Y I took her best shot at Thorpedo Anna, but the latter dug deep and surged ahead to seal the win.
Trainer Kenny McPeek remarked that Thorpedo Anna was “like a rocket ship” when she was 2 and had only improved since then. Coming into the Oaks, she had already secured a four-length win in the Fantasy Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park in March. McPeek, well-known for bold moves, mentioned the possibility of entering Thorpedo Anna in the May 18 Preakness Stakes (G1), stating, “It would be like me to do something like that.” He also hinted that there weren’t many options for 3-year-old fillies who want a longer race distance, making the Preakness an interesting option.
Co-owner Mark Edwards joked that they call McPeek “seven-second Kenny” because it takes him just a few moments to assess a horse’s potential at a sale. McPeek has a track record of spotting talent—he won the 2020 Preakness with Swiss Skydiver, a filly he purchased for $35,000, and he picked Thorpedo Anna for $40,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale.
Thorpedo Anna wasted no time establishing herself in the Oaks, leading early and keeping a slight edge through the quarter-mile in :22.87 and the half-mile in :46.79. Despite strong challenges from Fiona’s Magic, Ways and Means, and Just F Y I, she managed to keep them at bay and draw off for a decisive victory. Just F Y I settled for second place, while Regulatory Risk rallied to claim third.
Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. praised Thorpedo Anna’s composure and speed, saying she was “just such a naturally talented filly.” Despite setting a brisk pace, she remained focused and finished with her ears up and energy to spare. The Kentucky-bred filly had faced setbacks after her juvenile season due to a bruised hip, but with the proper care, she returned to form and triumphed in the Fantasy Stakes and the Kentucky Oaks.
Thorpedo Anna’s lineage has a unique backstory. Her dam, an Uncle Mo mare named Sataves, was born seven weeks premature and couldn’t race due to crushed hocks. However, she has proven herself as a successful breeding project, also producing Charlee O, a Tourist mare with over $100,000 in earnings. Tragically, Thorpedo Anna’s sire, Fast Anna, passed away in 2021 due to laminitis, making this filly one of his last and most successful progeny.
