Thorpedo Anna set up to rebound against compact field for Fleur de Lis

On the undercard of the Kentucky Oaks, Thorpedo Anna, the reigning Horse of the Year, suffered a loss against females for the first time in 18 months. Not only was it a loss, it was a last-place finish by 8 1/2 lengths as the odds-on favorite in the Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill Downs. Now, needing a rebound in the biggest way, Thorpedo Anna headlines a compact field of five for Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Fleur de Lis at 1 1/8 miles.

The only other loss against females for Thorpedo Anna came as a juvenile in the Golden Rod in November of 2023. Besides that, the Kenny McPeek trainee has been a win machine. A narrow loss behind Fierceness in the Travers last summer was sandwiched between two four-race win streaks, that included six Grade 1 victories, topped by the Breeders’ Cup Distaff in November. The daughter of Fast Anna will get Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard, who has ridden her in every start. Thorpedo Anna will break from post 3 and is set as the 3-5 morning-line favorite. 

The Fleur de Lis is also a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re” race, meaning the winner will earn a fees-paid berth into the BC Filly and Mare Distaff, which Thorpedo Anna won last year.

In the La Troienne, Hernandez tried to maintain his position going into the first turn, causing Thorpedo Anna to get squeezed between horses and shuffled back a touch. Randomized set a quick pace with Thorpedo Anna trying to keep up after losing her initial position. Just before the top of the stretch, Hernandez nudged Thorpedo Anna to within a half-length of Randomized. However, Thorpedo Anna came up empty and was all but pulled up as Raging Sea rallied to her first Grade 1 score.

“It looks like they beat her up going into the first turn. I don't know what that was about. I'm shocked like the rest of us,” McPeek told Churchill Downs publicity after the loss.

The rest of the field is not nearly as accomplished as Thorpedo Anna, with Taxed the closest thing as a Grade 2 winner. That win came in the Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico two years ago and Taxed has yet to win a stakes race since. However, the 5-year-old Randy Morse trainee turned in a career-best performance in the La Troienne, finishing a three-quarters of a length behind Raging Sea. Taxed, 9-2 on the morning line, will break from the outside post with Rafael Bejarano aboard.

Gin Gin, Jose Ortiz named to ride for trainer Brendan Walsh, is another horse that appears to have found some form, upsetting the Grade 3 Doubledogdare at Keeneland two back and running second to Royal Spa last out in the Grade 3 Shawnee at Churchill. Prior to the Doubledogdare, Gin Gin’s lone stakes win was the Busanda in January of last year at Aqueduct. Gin Gin breaks from post 4 and is the morning-line second choice at 7-2.

Royal Spa brings in a two-race win streak and will break from the rail under Flavien Prat for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. Royal Spa, 4-1 on the morning line, has had success returning to two-turn races and will likely be forward. Save Time, a recent allowance winner for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., completes the field and gets Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard.

The Fleur de Lis has a post time of 3:52 p.m. Eastern and goes as race 7 on a 12-race card. The program is highlighted by the Grade 1 Stephen Foster, which drew an ultra-competitive field that includes last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Sierra Leone, last year’s Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, Dubai World Cup winner Hit Show, and Grade 1 winner Mindframe.

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