Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks, and Magdalena Racing's multiple grade 1 winner Thorpedo Anna breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40 Oct. 19 on the Oklahoma dirt training track at Saratoga Race Course.
Thorpedo Anna posted the sharp work in company with multiple stakes-placed 4-year-old gelding Denington (1:01.50), who she started behind but was well in front of during the gallop-out. The Fast Anna dark bay or brown filly has been working weekly en route to the Breeders' Cup Distaff Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
"It was a fantastic work, actually," said trainer Kenny McPeek, adding that she will work again before heading west. "She is going to work next weekend."
McPeek said Thorpedo Anna met the objectives of the move under regular exercise rider Danny Ramsey.
"Just sit off Denington, be patient, and range up to him, and finish down the lane," said McPeek. "He is a nice horse in his own right. He is stakes-placed and has made quite a bit of money, but she is hitting on all cylinders."
Thorpedo Anna, who captured the Kentucky Oaks (G1) in May, boasts a 7-2-0 record in nine starts with $2,803,663 in earnings, including additional grade 1 wins in the Cotillion Stakes (G1) last out Sept. 21 at Parx Racing, the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), and the Acorn Stakes (G1), along with the Fantasy Stakes (G2)—all this year. She also stole the hearts of many racing fans when beaten a head in the Travers in a brave attempt versus colts in the Spa's premier event.
Thorpedo Anna will likely be a short price in the Distaff along with reigning champion older dirt female Idiomatic, who worked a half-mile in :49 4/5 for dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox Oct. 18 at Churchill Downs.
"I don't worry about the horses that I don't train," McPeek said of the much-anticipated matchup.
Sierra Leone Leads Chad Brown Workers at Belmont
Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, Rocket Ship Racing, and Peter Brant's dual graded stakes winner Sierra Leone posted a half-mile work for the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) as one of many Breeders' Cup hopefuls to breeze Oct. 19 at Belmont Park for four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown.
The son of Gun Runner hit the dirt training track shortly after reopening from a renovation break at 9:30 a.m. and breezed solo in :49.25 over the fast track. It was his third work at Belmont since moving south from Saratoga Race Course about three weeks ago.
"It went super. He worked a half-mile and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13 and 1. It was extremely impressive," Brown said. "The horse has been training really well and I'm really excited about him going into the Breeders' Cup."
Sierra Leone looks to cap a sophomore campaign that includes wins in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland and Risen Star Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, as well as on-the-board efforts in marquee grade 1 events when a narrowly beaten second in the Kentucky Derby (G1), and third at Saratoga in both the Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1).
Brown said he is hopeful a winning result could put Sierra Leone in the mix for Eclipse Award honors as champion 3-year-old male as he takes on Travers winner Fierceness for the third straight race.
"I think Fierceness is clearly the leader of the division and it's well earned. I know some of these horses have taken turns beating each other but he has had a spectacular summer in my opinion and he's not only the one to beat in the Classic, but also the leader of the division right now," Brown said. "But if Sierra Leone was to break through and take down a race like the Breeders' Cup Classic facing mostly older horses, I think he'd be in serious consideration given his consistency."
Brown also sent out top sophomore middle-distance competitor Domestic Product as he readies to make his final career start in the two-turn Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) before retiring to stud alongside his sire Practical Joke at Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
The dark bay or brown colt, a Kentucky homebred for Klaravich Stables, covered a half-mile solo in :48.42 in an earlier set before Sierra Leone.
"Outstanding—more of the same from him. Very consistent," said Brown, who indicated the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) is also under consideration for Domestic Product. "He's gotten stronger and faster as the year has gone on and I'm really looking forward to his race."
Domestic Product was last seen winning the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) Aug. 24 at the Spa and has put together a strong campaign that includes a 7 1/2-length romp in the Dwyer Stakes (G3) in July at Aqueduct Racetrack, and a gutsy win in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) in March.
Brown also sent out two talented juveniles for half-mile works in Chancer McPatrick (:48.01) and Zulu Kingdom (:48.63), who are targeting the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T), respectively. Zulu Kingdom worked in company with older graded stakes winner Running Bee.
Chancer McPatrick has stamped himself as a leading dirt juvenile with back-to-back grade 1 victories in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) and Champagne Stakes (G1). Zulu Kingdom has also quickly established himself at the top of the juvenile turf division with back-to-back graded wins as well, taking the With Anticipation Stakes (G3T) in August and the Pilgrim Stakes (G2T) Sept. 28.
"A little quick, but did it easy in a solo breeze," said Brown of the Chancer McPatrick work. "He acts a year older than he is really in everything he does—both in the morning and in the afternoon. He'll need some pace in front of him with his running style, but he's certainly training well."
On the filly side, Alpha Delta Stables' grade 1-winning homebred Raging Sea, with Flavien Prat up, breezed a half-mile in company with their recent Spinster Stakes (G1) runner-up Occult, the pair covering the distance in :49.46.
"She was traveling well," Prat said. "It was a pretty standard work and she went good. She's happy and moving well."
Raging Sea is being pointed to the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) off three straight graded wins when taking the Shuvee Stakes (G2) in July upsetting divisional leader Idiomatic in the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) Aug. 23, and following with a narrow victory over Batucada in the Beldame Stakes (G2) Oct. 6
Top female sprinter Ways and Means also breezed Saturday, covering four furlongs in :48.21 in company with sophomore filly Pretty Ana. The daughter of Practical Joke notched her first top-level score with an impressive victory in the Test Stakes (G1) in August and followed with a commanding score in the Gallant Bloom Stakes (G2).
"She was the only one last week I thought got a little lost in her work switching to the training track after primarily being based in Saratoga all year," Brown said. "Today, I gave her a workmate and she worked dynamite. A little bit of focus for her and she was all business."
Also on the tab Saturday at Belmont was Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) possible Gina Romantica, who went a solo half-mile in :49.51 and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) probable Virgin Colada, who breezed a half-mile in :49.42 in company with older multiple graded stakes winner Fluffy Socks.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
