A year ago on the very same weekend, Thorpedo Anna created a roar in the Saratoga Race Course grandstand as she chased down Fierceness in an attempt to beat the boys in the Travers Stakes (G1), ultimately coming up just a few inches short.
That roar from her fanbase and backers at the betting windows returned Aug. 23 as she again treated the crowd to a thrilling stretch duel—this time in the role of the pursued. Perhaps the 4-year-old Fast Anna filly had thought back to that Travers performance, as this time she refused to be denied and edged Dorth Vader by a few inches in the $500,000 Personal Ensign Stakes (G1).
"She has times when she wins easily, but when she wins in a fistfight, it's even better," said trainer Kenny McPeek.
Thorpedo Anna had taken a perfect stalking position in the 1 1/8-mile race from her outside post position. Tracking fractions of :23.24 and :47.11, she pulled jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. to the lead early as they entered the far turn. From that point, her regular rider only needed to keep her aware of the threat Dorth Vader posed as she rallied at the quarter pole, and Thorpedo Anna did the rest.
No use of "the force" to slow down her rival was enough for Dorth Vader, as she settled for second 9 3/4 lengths ahead of Leslie's Rose. Thorpedo Anna stopped the clock in 1:49.18 and paid $3.50 to win.
"She showed what a true champion she was," Hernandez Jr. said. "When she decided to make her run, I just let her do her thing. ... In these grade 1 races, these horses keep taking shots at you, and you have to respect them all. She's Horse of the Year, and she showed why she deservingly should be."
On this Travers day, the cheers and chants of her loyal fan base continued into the winner's circle, where "The Grizzly" was joined for the first time by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings' John Sikura.
"It's incredible how game and gallant she is," Sikura said. "She's the leader of the division, Horse of the Year for a reason. An incredible talent, and we're really honored to have the opportunity to participate and be part of the team."
On Aug. 14, it was announced that Hill 'n' Dale had acquired a half-interest in the filly previously held by Brookdale Racing. As part of the purchase, former National Football League star Marshawn Lynch took a minor share.
READ: Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Buys Half of Thorpedo Anna
That meant that Thorpedo Anna wore new silks Saturday: fluorescent green with black collar, sleeves, and cap of Hill 'n' Dale. Sikura joked that had she lost, people would be checking to see if the silks were made of lead.
"It's very rare to have a filly with elite talent; even harder than that is to have a filly of elite talent who has consistently reproduced," Sikura said. "She's a throwback to horses of the past: ultra tough, ultra talented, ultra consistent again and again and again. That's a real testament to a great champion."
The other half of the fillies' ownership group—Magdalena Racing, Mark Edwards, and breeder Judy Hicks—has remained intact and celebrated her 12th win in 15 starts. The victory boosted her career earnings to $5,408,413.
Bred in Kentucky by Hicks, Thorpedo Anna is out of the Uncle Mo mare Sataves.
John Ropes' homebred Dorth Vader certainly lost nothing in defeat, rebounding from a fourth-place finish in the July 19 Molly Pitcher Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park for trainer George Weaver and jockey John Velazquez.
"It was a great race," Weaver said. "Unfortunately, I'm on the losing end of the photo, but all in all, I think Dorth Vader validated her status in this division and we're looking forward to going to the Breeders' Cup."
The Breeders' Cup will likely give Dorth Vader another shot at Thorpedo Anna, who earned an automatic, fees-paid berth to the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Del Mar Nov. 1 with her victory thanks to the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series. The filly won the race last year at age 3.
As for a next start, McPeek said he will cross-nominate Thorpedo Anna to the Sept. 28 Delaware Handicap (G3) at Delaware Park and the Oct. 5 Spinster Stakes (G1) at Keeneland.
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