Thorpedo Anna, the top 3-year-old dirt filly in North America, was committed by trainer Kenny McPeek to the prestigious Aug. 24 Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, where she will face males.
The move was announced July 27 after consultation with the filly's owners. The daughter of Fast Anna races for Nader Alaali, Mark Edwards, Sherri McPeek's Magdalena Racing, and breeder Judy Hicks.
The decision to pursue the $1.25 million, 1 1/4-mile Travers, announced on "FOX Saratoga Saturday," was widely anticipated after Thorpedo Anna overpowered the competition this year in the 3-year-old filly dirt division. She is 4-for-4 in 2024, topped by winning three consecutive grade 1s under regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. She is 6-for-7 overall with earnings of just less than $2 million.
"I'm a big believer that the sport needs stars," McPeek said. "It needs to be promoted. It needs to be lifted. She can do that."
Trainer @KennyMcPeek has confirmed that Thorpedo Anna will get her shot against the boys... #ThorpedoAnna #TheTravers. @TheNYRA @theTDN @BloodHorse @b_hernandezjr @JamieRadosevich @SaratogaGoose @singmysongbird @WHR. pic.twitter.com/SXOtin8f4A
— Thorpedo Anna (@Thorpedo_Anna) July 27, 2024
He encouraged her fans to wear pink in support of his filly on Travers day.
Thorpedo Anna will not be the first 3-year-old filly McPeek has run against males in a major race for 3-year-olds. Four years ago, he won the 2020 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course with Swiss Skydiver.
McPeek seemed intrigued about the possibility of running her in the June 8 Belmont Stakes (G1) at Saratoga but decided against it, instead running her stablemate, Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan. He ran eighth and has since been given time off to rest after competing in all three legs of the Triple Crown. Before the Belmont, he had been second in the Preakness.
The Travers field is expected to feature the best 3-year-old males in training, among them the Belmont and Haskell Stakes (G1) winner, Dornoch.
