Latest news with #ThorpedoAnna
UPI
30-06-2025
- Sport
- UPI
D. Wayne Lukas' death overshadows a big weekend of horse racing
1 of 5 | Trainer D. Wayne Lucas, shown speaking with fellow trainer Bob Baffert In the paddocks before the Preakness Stakes at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore in 2024, died Saturday of a blood disease. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo June 30 (UPI) -- News that legendary trainer D. Wayne Lukas died peacefully Saturday at age 89 after a career of personal accomplishment and devotion to the industry overshadowed a jam-packed weekend of Thoroughbred racing. Lukas had been active through much of this year, but declined aggressive treatment for a serious medical problem stemming from a MRSA blood infection and elected to spend his final few days at home. We play on, minus The Coach. Breeders' Cup slots were decided at Churchill Down and in Uruguay. Thorpedo Anna resumed her domination of any and all rivals. On the global front, it was Irish Derby weekend at the Curragh or, as it might better be called, Aidan O'Brien weekend. Ditto Bob Baffert weekend at Los Alamitos. Let's go. Classic / Dirt Mile Several of the best older dirt runners currently in training lined up in Saturday's $1 million Grade I Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs. The punters correctly made four of the six roughly equal, and those contenders finished 1-2-3-4, starting with the favorite, Mindframe. Winner of the Grade I Churchill Downs Stakes at 7 furlongs in his last start, Mindframe allowed Grade II Oaklawn Handicap winner First Mission to make the early going, blew by that one in the lane and ran on to win by 1 length. Breeders' Cup Classic winner Sierra Leone got by First Mission to finish second, with 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan fourth. "This was a really good field today and I'm really proud the way that he finished to hold off some of the best horses in the country right now," Ortiz said. The race was a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Classic. Out West, trainer Bob Baffert not only won the $100,000 Los Alamitos Derby for the ninth straight year, but also saddled the exacta. The closest of the two other competitors was 12 1/2 lengths back of the Baffert duo of odds-on favorite Nevada Beach and Varney. Varney set the early pace and turned it over to his stablemate in the lane, who won by 4 1/4 lengths. Nevada Beach, by Omaha Beach, now has two wins and a second. Baffert now has 15 overall wins in the race. "Those are two really nice horses," he said. Elsewhere: Mansetti won Saturday's $175,000 (Canadian) HIPbet Marine Stakes for 3-year-olds at Woodbine; Post Time took Saturday's $125,000 Deputed Testamoney at Laurel Park; Funtastic Again won Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Dominion Day Stakes at Woofbine; and Will Take It triumphed in Sunday's 1-mile, $300,000 Hanshin Stakes at Churchill Downs. Distaff Whatever was troubling Thorpedo Anna when she finished a dull seventh in the Grade I La Troienne on Kentucky Oaks Day was long in the past Saturday when she reappeared on the Churchill Downs track. The 2024 Kentucky Oaks and Breeders' Cup Distaff winner and Eclipse Award Horse of the Year was in full command in the Grade I Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis, tracking the pace before taking command to win by 3 lengths, ridden out by jockey Brian Williamson Jr. The Fleur de Lis was a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Distaff, but trainer Kenny McPeek hinted he might consider running Thorpedo Anna against males in the Breeders' Cup if she continues to carve up her female rivals. Also: Serendipity led virtually all the way to a 2 1/2-length score in Saturday's $150,000 Grade III Selene Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the Woodbine all-weather course. Turf Brilliant Berti rallied from behind a glacial early pace to take the lead in the stretch run of Saturday's $500,000 Grade II Wise Dan Stakes on the Churchill Downs greensward and powered to a 3/4-length victory. Taking Candy nosed out Lagynos for second, giving trainer Cheri DeVaux the exacta. Then, too: Wolfie's Dynaghost won Saturday's $125,000 Prince George's County at Laurel Park; Stay Hot took Saturday's $250,000 Texas Turf Classic at Lone Star Park; and Tom's Magic won Saturday's $102,000 Tale of the Cat at Monmouth Park. Filly & Mare Turf Neom Beach won Saturday's $125,000 Wasted Tears Stakes at Lone Star Park; Sigh No More took Sunday's $102,000 Boiling Springs for 3-year-old fillies at Monmouth Park; and Pin Up Betty won Sunday's $175,000 Anchorage at Churchill Downs. Turf Mile Dream On finally won the twice-delayed $400,000 Grade III Penn Mile for 3-year-olds once Penn National got it into the starting gate Friday. After all that, the course was yielding and three of the entries were scratched. Laurelin won the companion $150,000 Penn Oaks. Further: Lush Lips won Saturday's $250,000 Tepin Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs and Ocean Club was victorious in Saturday' $175,000 (Canadian) Grade II Nassau at Woodbine. Turf Sprint Patches O'Houlihan continued his dominance in Woodbine sprints with a neck victory over My Boy Prince in Saturday's $240,000 (Canadian) bet365 Highlander Stakes at Woodbine. But the 5-year-old gelding needed all the help jockey Sofia Vives could muster as he bore out badly on the turn and just did hang onto the lead to the wire. He was removed by equine ambulance after the race with a reported "soft-tissue" injury. Also: Usually Wrong won Saturday's $125,000 Grand Prairie Turf Sprint at Lone Star Park and Miss Code West took the companion $125,000 Chicken Fried Steaks for fillies and mares. Sprint Subrogate won Saturday's scratch-depleted $175,000 Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park and Roll On Big Joe took Saturday's $250,000 Grade III Kelly's Landing at Churchill Downs. Filly & Mare Sprint St. Benedicts Prep won Saturday's $125,000 Alma North Stakes at Laurel Park and Not Too Late took Sunday's $100,000 Maryfield Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Monmouth Park. Juvenile / Juvenile Fillies Two to watch early in the 2-year-old ranks: Romeo won Sunday's $225,000 Bashford Manor Stakes at Churchill Downs, leading early and then drawing off easily to win by 3 3/4 lengths. Percy's Bar drew off to win the $225,000 Debutante for 2-year-old fillies by 5 lengths. Around the world, around the clock Ireland So trainer Baffert has saddled 15 winners of the Los Alamitos Derby. Impressive but still shy by two of trainer O'Brien's domination of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, as the maestro of Ballydoyle landed the Group 1 event for the 17th time Sunday. There was so much about Lambourn's victory in the Derby, it's hard to grasp it all at once. On top, he sewed up the Derby Double, following on his triumph on the Epsom Downs. It was the sixth time O'Brien has done that, including with Australia and Galileo, who are Lambourn's sire and grandsire. O'Brien also trained Whirl, who upset the Andrew Balding-trained favorite, Kalpana, in Saturday's Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes for fillies and mares, and Beautify upset Lady Iman in the Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. He also won the Barranstown Stud Irish EBF Maiden for 2-year-olds with Dorset. Ryan Moore was aboard for all those wins. The fly in the ointment for O'Brien, the Coolmore owners and Moore was Flushing Meadows' narrow loss to Suzie Songs as a heavy favorite in the Group 3 Jebel Ali Racecourse and Stables Anglesey Stakes for 2-year-olds. France Calandagan powered down the straight to win Sunday's Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud by 3 1/2 lengths. The 4-year-old Gleneagles, second in two previous Group 1 events this season, saw off a quality, albeit short, field and may have earned a showdown with Lambourn in the King George on July 20 at Ascot. Uruguay Touch of Destiny earned a "Win and You're In" spot in November's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile with a gate-to-wire victory in Sunday's Group 3 Asociacion Uruguaya de Propietarios de Caballos de Carrera at Hipodromo Maronas in Monevideo, Uruguay. The 2-year-old (by Southern Hemisphere time) remains undefeated after six starts thanks to the 5-length triumph. He's by Midshipman, winner of the 2008 Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
Forbes
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Thorpedo Anna Looks To Rebound In Fleur De Lis Stakes
Brian Hernandez Jr. reacts as he rides Thorpedo Anna to victory in the Breeders' Cup Distaff horse ... More race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna is back, and the $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis (G2) at Churchill Downs could be her redemption story—or a potential upset spot for sharp handicappers. This 1 1/8-mile race isn't just another stop on the calendar—it's a 'Win and You're In' for the 2025 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), offering major implications for both championship honors and your betting tickets. After a sensational 3-year-old campaign in 2024 that included wins in the Kentucky Oaks, Acorn, Coaching Club American Oaks, Cotillion, and a hard-fought triumph in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, Thorpedo Anna kicked off her 4-year-old season with authority. She romped in both the Azeri (G2) and Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn, reinforcing her status as the division's queen. But then came the La Troienne (G1), where things went off script. Bumped repeatedly into the first turn, Thorpedo Anna lost all momentum and faded to seventh. Trainer Kenny McPeek and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. have been vocal about the rough trip: 'She got pinballed going into that turn,' McPeek said. 'It looks like it took the breath out of her.' Still, connections are confident she'll bounce back Saturday with a clean trip and have taken their time bringing her back—nearly two months have passed since that race. Saturday's race will be a critical test. Bettors must weigh whether to trust her back class and excuses from the La Troienne or look elsewhere for value. Let's break down the rest of the five-horse field, in post position order: 1. Royal Spa (Prat/Brisset) 4-1: Winner of the Shawnee (G3) over this track. Tactical speed, steady progression, and Flavien Prat up make her an intriguing option if Thorpedo Anna stubs her toe again. Could be the value play. 2. Save Time (Ortiz Jr./Joseph Jr.) 20-1: A lightly raced filly with upside but making a massive class jump. With Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, she's likely to take money—but will she be ready for this level? Questionable. 3. Thorpedo Anna (Hernandez/McPeek) 3-5: The champ. The one to beat. But the question remains: Can she rebound at short odds? She's the logical favorite, but not bulletproof. 4. Gin Gin (Jose Ortiz/Walsh) 7-2: Winner of the Doubledogdare (G3) at Keeneland and improving steadily. She's a stalker who could benefit if Thorpedo Anna and Royal Spa hook up early. Use underneath in exotics or consider as a win threat at a price. 5. Taxed (Bejarano/Morse) 9/2: The La Troienne (G1) runner-up could be flying under the radar. She already proved she can run well in this company and has value appeal if you're looking to beat the favorite. From a betting perspective, Thorpedo Anna is the one they'll have to run down, but value may lie with Royal Spa, especially if the pace turns honest early. Taxed looms as a strong exacta or trifecta key. But make no mistake, Thorpedo Anna should not lose this race and is a single in all exotics. This race not only stamps a ticket to the Breeders' Cup, but could also reshape the older filly & mare division—and your betting bankroll.
UPI
27-06-2025
- Sport
- UPI
Mystik Dan, Thorpedo Anna return to scene of Derby, Oaks triumphs
1 of 3 | Thorpedo Anna, shown winning the Breeders Cup Distaff in November, returns in Saturday's Grade I Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs, a "Win and You're In" for this year's Distaff., File Photo by Mark Abraham/UPI | License Photo June 27 (UPI) -- Mystik Dan and Thorpedo Anna, winners of the 2024 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, respectively, return to Churchill Downs on Saturday as key parts of a talent-laden program on dirt and turf in weekend racing. On the international front, Lambourn seeks a "Derby Double" in Ireland and some heavyweights tangle in a French Group 1 tilt at Saint-Cloud. Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" spots are on offer in Louisville, Ky., and Montevideo, Uruguay. Let's dive right in. Classic Saturday's $1 million Grade I Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs is a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 1. But, no matter who wins the Foster, six of the seven entrants easily could meet again in that year-end showdown. It's that good a field. Hit Show enters off a win in the $12 million Group 1 Dubai World Cup. Mystik Dan won last year's Kentucky Derby and got back on the winning path with a score in the Grade III Blame over the same course and 1 1/8-mile distance as the Foster in his last. Sierra Leone won the 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic after a storied Triple Crown campaign. Skippylongstocking won the Grade II Hollywood Gold Cup in his last start and has won just about everywhere -- except Churchill Downs. There, he's 0-for-2. Mindframe, by contrast, exits a victory in the Grade I Churchill Downs Stakes on Derby Day. First Mission won the Grade II Oaklawn Handicap in his last start. Another shocker: Three of the five entries in Saturday's $100,000 Los Alamitos Derby are from the Bob Baffert barn. Baffert seeks his ninth straight victory in the race and 15th overall with Tiz Secure, Varney and Nevada Beach. Doug O'Neill counters with Rank and Antonio Garcia has the Cal-bred It's a Factor, who probably won't be as he seeks his second career win in his first start on dirt. Seven are in for Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III HPIbet Marine Stakes for 3-year-olds on the Woodbine all-weather. Five are Ontario-breds and therefore candidates for the rapidly approaching King's Plate. Distaff Saturday's $500,000 Grade II Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Distaff, features 2024 Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna in a field of five. The 4-year-old Fast Anna filly will have to prove her last race, a fading, last-place finish in the Grade I La Troienne, was a fluke. Trainer Kenny McPeek's decision to bring her right back from the May 2 debacle is encouraging, as is her record of seven wins from eight starts before the La Troienne. Eight are slated to report for duty in Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Selene for 3-year-old fillies on the Woodbine all-weather. Mark it a tossup. Sprint Booth has won four straight races, three at the tough Oaklawn Park meeting, which is enough to make him the 2-1 morning-line favorite in Saturday's $350,000 Grade III Kelly's Landing at Churchill Downs. Super Chow, Subrogate and Dean Delivers all seem to have chances in a field of eight for Saturday's $175,000 Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park. Sunday's $250,000 Maxfield Stakes finds 13 3-year-olds set to go 7 furlongs out of the Churchill Downs backstretch chute. It looks wildly competitive. Turf Mercante, Brilliant Berti and Lagynos are well-regarded in Saturday's $500,000 Grade II Wise Dan at Churchill Downs after finishing 1-2-3, respectively, in the Grade III Arlington Stakes at the same 1 1/16 miles May 31. Tiztastic was 2-for-2 on the grass before being detoured to the Triple Crown trail. Trainer Steve Asmussen has him back on the green course in Saturday's $250,000 American Derby at Churchill Downs. Trainer Peter Eurton ships Stay Hot from California to Lone Star Park to make his 4-year-old debut as the 5-2 favorite in Saturday's $250,000 Texas Turf Classic. Turf Mile The twice-delayed $400,000 Grade III Penn Mile finally gets to the starting gate Friday at Penn National with a field of eight 3-year-olds. Zulu Kingdom seeks his third straight win in a field of eight. Friday's $400,000 Penn Oaks at Penn National has a well-matched field of nine. The roster sounds like a Valentine's card with Love You Anyway, Love and Poetry, Reigning Flowers and Candy Quest in the field. Speaking of romance, Lush Lips and Vixen finished second and third, respectively, behind the talented Nitrogen in the Grade II Edgewood on Kentucky Oaks Day. With Nitrogen out of the picture, they top the morning line for Saturday's $250,000 Tepin Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs. Don't overlook Something Stronger if her odds stay near the 10-1 morning line quote. Caitlinhergrtness, the 2024 King's Plate winner, returns to the Woodbine turf in Saturday's $175,000 (Canadian) Grade II Nassau for fillies and mares. Turf Sprint Patches O'Houlihan is 12-for-15 at Woodbine and a solid favorite in Saturday's $200,000 (Canadian) Grade II bet365 Highlander at the same venue. My Boy Prince, runner-up in the 2024 King's Plate, returns from New York as a gelding with a new lease on life as a turf sprinter. Juvenile / Juvenile Fillies Sunday's $225,000 Bashford Manor and $225,000 Debutante for fillies are good chances to watch and learn about some early-maturing juveniles. Around the world, around the clock Ireland Lambourn seeks the Derby Double in Sunday's Group 1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh. The Australia colt, trained by Aidan O'Brien, ran off with the Betfred Derby at Epsom, winning by 3 3/4 lengths. It would seem there's not a lot standing in his way, with Tennessee Stud the next-favored in the antepost wagering. The Joseph Patrick O'Brien charge was third at Epsom, 4 3/4 lengths back of Lambourn. The elder O'Brien's Whirl also is well-regarded in Saturday's Group 1 Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes for fillies and mares at the Curragh. But the 3-year-old Wootton Bassett filly, second by a neck in the Betfred Oaks in her last start, will have to cope with 4-year-old Kalpana, trained by the Gosden team. The Study of Man filly won the Group 1 Qipco British Champion Fillies & Mares last fall and was third in the Tattersalls Gold Cup in her first start this year. The Saturday program also includes heats for 2-year-olds. France Sunday's Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud at Saint-Cloud only has five starters, but they're good ones. Calandagan exits four straight runner-up finishes -- all in Group 1 races at York, Ascot, Dubai and Epsom. The 4-year-old Gleneagles gelding has never finished worse than third. Goliath, Junko, Aventure and Iresine complete the field. Uruguay A "Win and You're In" spot is on offer in Sunday's Group 3 Asociacion Uruguaya de Propietarios at Hipodromo Maronas in Montevideo, Uruguay. The winner will earn an automatic starting position and fees paid for the $1 million Breeders Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 1. The race is the first Breeders' Cup Challenge Series event ever held in Uruguay, which has had international success of late, including in Dubai.
Forbes
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Stephen Foster Tops Charts On Closing Weekend At Churchill Downs
Kentucky Derby 150 champion Mystik Dan headlines a star studded Foster field The Stephen Foster has long been one of the signature races of the Churchill Downs Spring Meet. Run since 1982, this mile and an eighth test for older horses on dirt began to really climb the charts in 1998 when the purse was bumped to an eye-popping $750,000. Always considered a logical launching pad for the Breeders' Cup Classic, this race gained even more importance with the implementation of the 'Win and You're In' program in 2010. That means the horse that plays a winning tune in the Stephen Foster gets a fees paid automatic entry into the richest race run on American soil. The 44th running of the Foster will take place on June 28 and features a field that makes it a chart topper. It highlights an action-packed card that features six super competitive Stakes races on the final Saturday of the 2025 Spring Meet. Top action on both turf and dirt will be spinning the hits on this Super Saturday. The grade 2 Fleur De Lis goes off as race 7 and offers an automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Distaff starting gates on November 1. Reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna will take on four other talented females as they fight for their share of $500,000 in purse money. 2024 Kentucky Oaks champ and Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna runs in the Fleur De Lis on June 28The Kelly's Landing Stakes will feature West Coast invader Dr. Venkman as he takes on seven rivals in this six-and-a-half-furlong sprint race on dirt. Going off as race 9, these older males will dash for $250,000 in cash. Race 10 will be the grade 2 Wise Dan stakes for older males on turf. Named for one of the greatest grass runners ever ( 17 wins 2 seconds in his last 19 career starts), this mile and a sixteenth tussle on the turf features seven Stakes winners in the nine-horse field. The album cover song of the day is race 11, the grade 1 Stephen Foster. Six of the seven entrants are graded stakes winners. Included in this super six are the top two finishers in the 2024 Kentucky Derby (Mystik Dan, Sierra Leone), the Dubai World Cup winner (Hit Show), a four-time graded Stakes winner (First Mission), the 2025 Hollywood Gold Cup winner (Skippylongstocking), and the 2025 Churchill Downs Stakes winner (Mindframe). As further testament to the quality of this field, the entrants have just over $26 million in career on-track earnings. 'When you line up the winner of Kentucky Derby 150 against the Grade 1 winners of the Breeders' Cup Classic, Dubai World Cup, and Churchill Downs Stakes as well as the Oaklawn Handicap and Hollywood Gold Cup winners, you have the making of what could be the race of the year', says Darren Rogers, senior director of communications for Churchill Downs. The day concludes with the American Derby in race 12. Three-year-old males go a mile and a sixteenth on grass with eyes on a $250,000 purse. Featured in this tantalizing ten horse field will be 2025 Kentucky Derby entrants Flying Mohawk and Tiztastic. The competition promises to be fierce and the speculation opportunities numerous. The final six races on the card are all Stakes races and this will make up the 20-cent pick six. Also, an All-Stakes $3 turf pick 3 will be featured on closing weekend. First post on June 28 will be at 12:45 eastern time.
Hindustan Times
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Kentucky Derby 2025: Thorpedo Anna, reigning Horse of the Year, to visit clinic after surprise loss at Churchill Downs
Thorpedo Anna is headed for a checkup at a veterinary clinic after the reigning Horse of the Year finished a surprising seventh in her return to Churchill Downs. She was jostled in between horses in a race to the first turn and began to fade by the top of the stretch in Friday's $1 million La Troienne for fillies and mares. She was coming off a victory in the Apple Blossom Handicap on April 12 in Arkansas. 'The first turn incident may have thrown her off her game, or maybe the 3 week turnaround wasn't my best choice,' trainer Ken McPeek posted Saturday on X. 'She showed no signs she couldn't handle that. I'm more critical of myself than anyone. Regardless, she won't be rushed back soon.' McPeek said Thorpedo Anna was walking well on Saturday. She will have X-rays on her knees and ankles and then be sent to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington for further examination. Raging Sea won the La Troienne by three-quarters of a length in her first start since finishing second to Thorpedo Anna in the Breeders' Cup Distaff last year. Thorpedo Anna won last year's Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs and finished the year with six wins in seven starts. Her only loss came against male horses in the Travers, where she was second. Now a 4-year-old, she opened this year with wins in the Azeri Stakes and Apple Blossom Handicap. She has won 10 of 13 career starts and has over $4 million in earnings.
