Thorpedo Anna holds off Free Like a Girl in Azeri Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Thorpedo Anna, the reigning Horse of the Year, launched her 4-year-old season with authority on Saturday when she turned back a challenge from Free Like a Girl and went on to a 3 1/2-length win in the Grade 2, $400,000 Azeri at Oaklawn Park.

Thorpedo Anna was making her first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. She was the 1-9 favorite in a field scratched down to five on a rainy, cold, overcast afternoon in which Oaklawn reported an estimated ontrack crowd of 33,000.

“It puts a bit of pressure on you because of the expectations there, but she doesn’t let us down,” winning trainer Kenny McPeek said.

Free Like a Girl held second, while it was another 5 1/2 lengths back in third to Recharge.

Thorpedo Anna ($2.20) broke well and proceeded to set the pace on a track that was sealed and listed as wet-fast. She put up fractions of 24.27 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.59 for the half-mile and 1:12.99 for six furlongs, while tracked by Free Like a Girl.

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Free Like a Girl took her shot at the champ in the stretch. Thorpedo Anna had more and went on to cover the 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares in 1:44.02.

“I thought she got a little tired,” McPeek said. “It looked to me like she was getting a little leg weary there, and then she rebroke and of course, good horses do that.”

Brian Hernandez Jr. was aboard Thorpedo Anna, who won five Grade 1 races last year, including the Kentucky Oaks. She also ran second by a head in the Travers.

“She stood in the gate and left there really, really quick and from that point it was kind of cruise control,” Hernandez told publicity at Oaklawn. “When I saw Free Like a Girl next to me going down the backside, when I got to the middle of the second turn, I’m like I need to get some separation from her because she made $2 million. She’s going to be a tough filly to run from. She’s going to be able to run us down if anyone can. And when I didn’t get the separation right away like I thought I was going to, I said 'Uh oh. We may be in for a fight.’ But then Thorpedo switched leads and she was off and running.”

Julien Leparoux was aboard Free Like a Girl.

“I got head to head with her,” he told publicity at Oaklawn. “I was very excited for a second.”

Thorpedo Anna has now won 9 of 11 starts and has earned $4,083,663. The daughter of Fast Anna races for the partnership of Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks and Magdalena Racing.

McPeek said Thorpedo Anna is a candidate for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Apple Blossom next month at Oaklawn. She is based at Fair Grounds.

“She’s going to go back to New Orleans tomorrow or Monday and she’ll train down there through the month of March and maybe into April,” he said. “Then we’ll cycle her back up here from Fair Grounds.

“As long as everything is good for her health-wise, she is going to run in the Apple Blossom.”

Oaklawn handled $9.7 million from all sources on the 11-race card Saturday. Racing resumes Sunday.

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