Thorpedo Anna will attempt to become the first filly since 1915 to win the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday – and she will have to do it from the inside post.
Thorpedo Anna. NYRA Photo
Thorpedo Anna second choice with Fierceness against the boys in the Travers
The fantastic filly trained by Kenny McPeek is the 3-1 second betting choice in a field of eight 3-year-olds entered in the summer’s marquee race.
Dornoch, the Belmont Stakes (G1) and Haskell Stakes (G1) winner, is the 5-2 morning line favorite for trainer Danny Gargan leaving from post 7. Fierceness, coming off a win in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2), also is 3-1 leaving from post 8 for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Also entered Sunday are Sierra Leone, Unmatched Wisdom, Corporate Power, Batten Down, and Honor Marie.
“It’s exciting, and it’s historic,” McPeek said. “I really think she deserves an opportunity to compete against the best. And she’s pretty much shown that she’s the best in her division, and I think she’s perfectly capable of handling a mile-and-a-quarter. She’s going to get a five-pound weight allowance, and there’s a million and two reasons to give it a shot.”
The 155th edition of the “Midsummer Derby’’ at 1 ¼ miles will be without Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Seize the Grey, but the race could be big factor in deciding the champion 3-year-old, and perhaps Horse of the Year.
Thorpedo Anna, with dominating wins in the Kentucky Oaks (G1), Acorn Stakes (G1), and the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), bypassed last week’s Alabama Stakes (G1) as McPeek decided it’s time to take on the boys.
However, the filly is not the quickest starter having lunged out and hit the gate in her last race and brushed with a rival in the Kentucky Oaks. Jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. hopes for a smooth start against a tough field.
Fierceness, who has followed each impressive victory with a loss, seeks to break that run in the Travers Stakes. An outside post could be helpful as jockey John Velazquez would have plenty of room to keep the colt out of trouble.
Dornoch looks to establish himself as the top 3-year-old in the country – male or female.
“It’s the best race of the year. It’s as good of a race as we’ve seen all year. It’s exciting to be in it,” Gargan said. “Look, we’ve won two grade ones in a row. It’s hard to win three Grade 1s in a row, but if he can do it, it’ll be crazy, amazing.”
Point Given in 2001 is the only horse to win the Belmont Stakes, Haskell Stakes, and Travers Stakes.
Sierra Leone, a $2.3 million yearling, finished second in the Kentucky Derby, third in the Belmont Stakes, and second in the Jim Dandy Stakes, and will try again with a closing run to give trainer Chad Brown his first Travers victory.
The field for the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1), from the rail out, with jockey, trainer, odds:
1 Thorpedo Anna (Brian Hernandez, Jr., Kenny McPeek), 3-1
2 Sierra Leone (Flavien Prat, Chad Brown), 7-2
3 Unmatched Wisdom (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Chad Brown), 8-1
4 Corporate Power (Javier Castellano, Shug McGaughey), 15-1
5 Batten Down (Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott), 20-1
6 Honor Marie (Tyler Gaffalione, Whit Beckman), 20-1
7 Dornoch (Luis Saez, Danny Gargan), 5-2
8 Fierceness (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher), 3-1