Kenneth McPeek saddled Thorpedo Anna to lots of big race success last season, but some of her best performances were at Saratoga over 1,800m and she’s back there for the $500,000 Grade I Personal Ensign Stakes on the Travers undercard on Saturday, August 23.
While horse racing fans flocking to the Spa as the summer meets enters its final phase won’t see another matchup between top three-year-old colts Sovereignty and Journalism, the 2024 Horse of the Year runs on the track. Thorpedo Anna had a blip in the spring, but has since bounced back with an authoritative win at Churchill Downs.
The 2024 Acorn Stakes and Coaching Club American Oaks heroine went on to just miss out on Travers Stakes glory 12 months ago by a head. Undeterred by that agonizing defeat to Fierceness, she delivered back in fillies’ only races in the fall. Thorpedo Anna added the Cotillion Stakes to her resume at Parx, northeast of Philadelphia.
She then landed the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at the World Championships in California, won her return to action after a winter break and the Apple Blossom Handicap from Oaklawn Park in Arkansas. Everything looked rosy for Thorpedo Anna, but she trailed in last of seven back at the scene of her Kentucky Oaks triumph that had launched her career 12 months prior.
That La Troienne Stakes performance wasn’t her true running. Thorpedo Anna dispelled that, however, when giving 5lb and upwards all-round and a beating to four rivals up in distance at Churchill Downs in the Grade II Fleur De Lis. Connections can now focus on bigger prizes like the Personal Ensign Stakes again over the 1,800m trip she has excelled at.
Raging Sea, Leslie’s Rose Familiar Foes for Thorpedo Anna
None of the seven fillies taking part are bombproof. Oddsmakers behind Belmont Stakes racebooks might favor McPeek’s superstar on the Morning Line, but she must defeat old rivals again if she’s to reign at the Spa again. When Thorpedo Anna didn’t run her race in Kentucky, Raging Sea capitalized on that.
Chad Brown won the Personal Ensign Stakes with her last season. This five-year-old Curlin mare then landed the Beldame Stakes under a penalty and chased home Thorpedo Anna at the Breeders’ Cup. After getting her revenge at Churchill Downs despite conceding race fitness, Raging Sea only made the show in the Ogden Phipps Stakes here and filled the same spot in the Shuvee Stakes.
Both fillies who bested her in those Saratoga races, Dorth Vader and Leslie’s Rose, take her on again now. Raging Sea is 6lb better off at the weights with George Weaver’s daughter of Girvin, but meets the Todd Pletcher female on the same terms as last time. Dorth Vader has been defeated since the Ogden Phipps by another in the Brown barn, Randomized.
Leslie’s Rose, meanwhile, was no match for Thorpedo Anna on three occasions last season including over this course and distance. Splitting the Weaver and Pletcher fillies from Raging Sea on both occasions here at the Spa this summer was Dazzling Move, who placed behind them.
Saffie Joseph’s daughter of Not This Time could again hit the frame, but going forward as she did in the Ogden Phipps might play into the hands of others. Randomized missed the World Championships in the fall, but returned to form when landing the Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Park last time. Longshot Bernietakescharge completes the line-up.
Personal Ensign Stakes 2025 Post Positions Draw & Morning Line Odds
- Randomized (124lbs) – 4-1
- Dazzling Move (122lbs) – 12-1
- Raging Sea (124lbs) – 5-1
- Dorth Vader (124lbs) – 6-1
- Bernietakescharge (120lbs) – 20-1
- Leslie’s Rose (124lbs) – 9-2
- Thorpedo Anna (124lbs) 6-5 fav
Our Handicapper’s Verdict
This is tricky because, on their very best form, most of the field is capable of winning a Grade I like this. Thorpedo Anna is the right favorite, because she’s only run one bad race. Discounting Bernietakescharge completely, the ones with most to prove at this level are Dorth Vader and Leslie’s Rose.
That leaves Brown barn buddies Raging Sea and Randomized, but as five-year-olds they too are vulnerable to younger fillies. Receiving 2lb from them is Dazzling Move and, provided she doesn’t set things up for closers, she might split them and at least make the show.
WATCH: Raging Sea Win the Personal Ensign Stakes in 2024
