She’s back! Among fillies, that is.
Thorpedo Anna, whose foray against males in the Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga last month resulted in a narrow second to Fierceness, returns to face seven other 3-year-old fillies in Saturday’s $1 million Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Parx Racing.
Thorpedo Anna. NYRA Photo.
Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna back with the fillies and favored in the Cotillion
Four of her rivals have already experienced facing the division leader and 4-5 Cotillion favorite this year, with similar results. Three took her on over a sloppy track in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs on May 2, with Everland finishing 12 lengths back in fifth, Power Squeeze 16 ½ lengths back in sixth, and Tarifa some 18 lengths back in ninth.
More recently, Gun Song was eighth in the Acorn at Saratoga, beaten 24 lengths.
Already the likely champion 3-year-old filly of 2024, Thorpedo Anna suffered her first loss in five starts this year in the Travers, coming up a head short of the 2023 champion colt in the 1 ¼ mile race.
She began her 2024 campaign with a four-length win in the Fantasy Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn and followed that with a 4 ¾-length win in the slop at Churchill Downs, a 5 ½-length score in the Acorn Stakes (G1) and a 4 ½-length triumph in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1).
Top Contenders Set for Cotillion Showdown at Parx Racing
Trainer Kenny McPeek said the Travers took little, if anything, out of the daughter of Fast Anna.
“She came out of the Travers super, no worse for wear,” he said. “Steady as she goes, solid as ever. “
Power Squeeze, who has won five of seven starts, including the Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga for trainer Jorge Delgado, looms as the most potent threat to Thorpedo Anna’s reign in her division.
Expected to attract support as well are Tarifa, winner of a pair of Grade 2 races this year for trainer Brad Cox, and the Bill Mott-trained Sidamara, beaten a nose by Power Squeeze in her most recent start, the Delaware Oaks (G3) on July 8.
“Our filly is doing well, and we are taking on a heavyweight,” said Mott. “Thorpedo Anna is going to have to have an off day to get beat or some bad racing luck. That can happen.”
The 1 1/16-mile Cotillion is the co-feature with the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1), featuring Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Seize the Grey, on a huge day of stakes races at the track in Bensalem, Pa.
The picks: 1 Power Squeeze 2 Thorpedo Anna 3 Sidamara
The field for the $1 million Cotillion Stakes (G1), from the rail out, with jockey, trainer, odds:
1 Power Squeeze (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Jorge Delgado), 4-1
2 Scalable (Paco Lopez, Todd Pletcher), 10-1
3 Tarifa (Flavien Prat, Brad Cox), 5-1
4 Everland (Luan Machado, Eric Foster), 20-1
5 Sidamara (Jose Ortiz, Bill Mott), 6-1
6 Thorpedo Anna (Brian Hernandez, Jr., Kenny McPeek), 4-5
7 Gun Song (John Velazquez, Mark Hennig), 10-1
8 Mystic Lake (Mike Smith, Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 12-1