Despite Winning Kentucky Oaks 2024, Thorpedo Anna Pulled From $2 Million Annual Race

Thorpedo Anna secured a victory in the 150th Longines Kentucky Oaks, earning trainer Kenny McPeek and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. their first Oaks win. Thorpedo Anna, breaking from post position 5, led wire-to-wire and pulled away in the stretch, securing her fourth win in just five career starts.

However, after her triumph at the Kentucky Oaks 2024, Thorpedo Anna, a prominent filly in the racing world, was surprisingly withdrawn from the highly anticipated $2 million annual race. This unexpected turn of events left everyone curious about its potential implications for Thorpedo Anna’s future racing career.

Frank Angst, the Blood Horse’s editorial director, posted on his X handle about the Derby post-race press conference where trainer Kenny McPeek made a significant announcement. “In the Derby post-race press conference, trainer @KennyMcPeek said he’s no longer considering the Preakness for Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna,” Angst wrote. He declared that Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna would no longer be considered for the Preakness Stakes, one of the Triple Crown races. Kenny McPeek on Anna’s withdrawal, said, “It was somewhat a relief, and I was gonna be upset if she didn’t win because we felt like she was sitting on tilt.”

Earlier Thorpedo Anna had shown how capable she was. At the Kentucky Oaks, she gradually opened up the space between her and early pace presence Fiona’s Magic, then held off Just F Y I and jockey Junior Alvarado in the stretch for a four 3/4-length victory. She finished the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.83 on the sloppy track. This marked her most significant victory with one impressive burst. Earlier, she even won the 2024 Fantasy (G3). 

While Thorpedo Anna came out of the Oaks completely fine, McPeek didn’t want to take a risk. McPeek could tell she was tired; he said, “She left a little bit of grain last night, about half a scoop, but it’s nothing to be worried about. It’s something we watch regularly, and she typically eats up every night. She’s tired. She ran hard.” Despite Anna being out, Mystic Dan helped the trainer McPeek create history. McPeek becomes the first trainer since 1952 to win the Oaks and Derby in the same year. As Anna is out of the Preakness, he has something in store for her.

McPeek considers including Thorpedo Anna in the Preakness

McPeek is considering options for Thorpedo Anna, possibly including her in the Preakness against males, though it seems unlikely for now. McPeek previously won the Preakness with Swiss Skydiver in 2020. “We’re gonna look at the Preakness, but she’s gonna have to show us in the next three or four days, We’ll get some clarity. There are some fees ($150,000) involved. Probably, at this point, it’s less than 50 percent,” he explained. However, that might not happen in the Preakness at Pimlico in two weeks as he still has to monitor her.

That being said, McPeek is looking forward to some stakes possibilities in New York. McPeek praised his exceptional staff and expressed joy in celebrating Thorpedo Anna’s victory with them. He said, “I’ll see what the calendar says for 3-year-old fillies, You don’t want to run her back in the Black Eyed Susan. Where do you find Grade I races for 3-year-old fillies? I definitely want to get her in the Coaching Club Oaks, Alabama, the Acorn, races like that. The Acorn is a mile-and-an-eighth at Saratoga, so that seems like an ideal spot. There’s a lot of math to do.”

While McPeek highlights the collaborative effort needed for success in racing and acknowledges his excellent team, what are your thoughts on Thorpedo Anna being withdrawn? Let us know in the comments.