2025.01.22 Oaklawn Racing Update

Compiled by Robert Yates

Only six females have been crowned Horse of the Year since the Eclipse Awards, an equine version of the Oscars, were introduced in 1971. All but one raced at Oaklawn.

Oaklawn is poised for a sixth female Horse of the Year in Thorpedo Anna, an expected finalist for racing’s highest individual honor in 2024. The winners in 17 horse and human categories, including the coveted Horse of the Year title, will be revealed during the 54th annual Eclipse Awards dinner Thursday night in Palm Beach, Fla.

Eight Oaklawn-connected individuals (horses or humans), including Thorpedo Anna, were announced as finalists in their respective categories earlier this month. Each category has three finalists. Finalists for 2024 Horse of the Year will be announced during the dinner, which culminates with the Horse of the Year announcement.

“She did everything we asked of her all year long,” said Kenny McPeek, who trains Thorpedo Anna. “I’d be surprised or disappointed if she didn’t win it, but it’s out of my control. I’m just proud of the year she had.”

Thorpedo Anna was the country’s runaway leader in the 3-year-old filly division after compiling a 6-1-0 record from seven starts last year and earning $3,653,050. All six victories were stakes.

She began her year with a four-length victory in the $750,000 Fantasy (G2) at 1 1/16 miles in late March at Oaklawn. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Fast Anna raced exclusively in Grade 1 events the remainder of 2024 and secured her division title with victories in the $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, $500,000 Acorn at Saratoga, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga, $1 million Cotillion at Parx and the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff Nov. 2 at Del Mar.

Thorpedo Anna’s most memorable performance came in her only 2024 loss. Tackling males for the first time, she was beaten a head by champion Fierceness in the $1.25 million Travers at 1 ¼ miles Aug. 24 at Saratoga.

Thorpedo Anna races for a partnership that includes her breeder, Judy Hicks, and McPeek’s wife, Sherri (Magdalena Racing). Kenny McPeek said Thorpedo Anna, now based at Gulfstream Park, is a candidate for two races this season at Oaklawn – $400,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 8 and the $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 12. Both races are for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.

The six females to win Horse of the Year since 1971 are All Along (1983), Lady’s Secret (1986), Azeri (2002), Rachel Alexandra (2009), Zenyatta (2010) and Havre de Grace (2011). The only member of that group not to have raced at Oaklawn was All Along, a turf standout.

Lady’s Secret won Oaklawn’s Prima Donna Stakes for 3-year-old fillies in 1985 and finished second in the 1986 Apple Blossom. Azeri won the Apple Blossom in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Rachel Alexandra won the Martha Washington and Fantasy in 2009. Zenyatta won the Apple Blossom in 2008 and 2010. Havre de Grace won the Azeri and Apple Blossom in 2011.

McPeek and Brad Cox are finalists for the country’s outstanding trainer of 2024.

McPeek finished second in the 2023-2024 Oaklawn standings, setting single-season personal bests across the board. McPeek started 162 horses and won 30 races, including seven stakes. He also ranked second in purse earnings ($4,110,741). One of McPeek’s other stakes victories came in the $800,000 Southwest (G3) with Mystik Dan.

McPeek became the first trainer since Ben Jones in 1952 to sweep the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby in the same year when Mystik Dan captured the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown. The Kentucky Oaks is the country’s biggest prize for 3-year-old fillies.

McPeek ranked seventh in North American purse earnings in 2024 with a career-high $16,272,127, according to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization.

“It’s exciting,” said McPeek, Oaklawn’s leading trainer thus far this season. “Once again, another one that’s outside my control, but proud of the work we did.”

Cox won 26 races to finish fifth in the 2023-2024 Oaklawn standings.

Erik Asmussen, the son of Steve Asmussen, Oaklawn’s all-time leading trainer, is a finalist for champion apprentice jockey.

Erik Asmussen won 127 races last year, including two at Oaklawn. He has three victories at the 2024-2025 Oaklawn meeting. Asmussen’s uncle, Cash Asmussen, won an Eclipse Award in 1979 as the country’s champion apprentice jockey.

Other Oaklawn-raced Eclipse finalists are Straight No Chaser (older dirt male and male sprinter), Adare Manor (older dirt female), Cogburn (male sprinter) and Soul of an Angel (female sprinter).

Straight No Chaser was a powerful allowance winner at the 2022-2023 Oaklawn meeting. Adare Manor won the 2024 Apple Blossom. Cogburn was a two-time Oaklawn allowance winner. Soul of an Angel finished sixth in the 2024 Azeri before winning the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) Nov. 2 at Del Mar.

Eclipse finalists were announced Jan. 5 after tabulating votes from the three voting blocs – Daily Racing Form, National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Association and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, which consists of racing officials and Equibase track and field personnel.

Of the 240 eligible voters, 208 (87%) voted. Finalists were determined in each category by voters’ top three selections, using a 10-5-1 point basis. Eclipse Award winners are determined solely by first-place votes.

Thursday’s Feature

The inaugural $145,000 Byerley Turk Overnight Stakes headlines Thursday’s 10-race card at Oaklawn.

Probable post time for the Byerley Turk, the ninth of 10 races, is 4:22 p.m. (Central). Racing begins at 12:30 p.m.

The Byerley Turk was originally scheduled to be run Monday, but Oaklawn moved the entire card to Thursday because of freezing temperatures. The Byerley Turk is a six-furlong event for older horses that have never won a stakes race. It is the first of nine new overnight stakes in 2024-2025 at Oaklawn.

The 7-5 program favorite, Banishing is trying to give co-owner/trainer David Jacobson his first career Oaklawn stakes victory. Banishing, a 5-year-old son of 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, will be making his stakes debut in the Byerley Turk, which drew nine entrants.

Banishing, who has flourished recently in one-turn races, exits a 1 ½-length victory over millionaire multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Tejano Twist in a Dec. 20 allowance sprint at Oaklawn.

“I think it’s a great spot,” said Jacobson, who has a greatly expanded Oaklawn presence this season. “He’s doing very well, considering all this up and down with training. But we’re all in the same boat, so I guess it equals out.”

Oaklawn has lost 12 days of training this month to winter weather.Banishing is scheduled to break from post 5 under Ricardo Santana Jr. and carry equal top weight of 124 pounds.

The allowance race marked Banishing’s third victory since Lawrence P. Roman purchased the gelding for $80,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s July Horses of Racing Age Sale. Jacobson, a veteran of the New York Racing Association circuit, and Roman now co-own Banishing.

In his only other two starts for Jacobson, Banishing was pulled up in a onw-mile allowance race Aug. 24 at Saratoga and finished second, beaten a head by Grade 3 winner Liberal Arts, in a 7 ½-furlong allowance race Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs.

Banishing began his racing career for powerful connections, breeder/owner Godolphin and trainer Brendan Walsh. Overall, the gelding has a 5-1-2 record from 14 starts and earnings of $329,979.

“It’s easy to say afterwards,” Jacobson said of turning a quick profit on Banishing. “He was cut out to be a very nice horse. I’m surprised they gave up on him so quick. When I got him, he wasn’t that bad. He just had a little issue with that race in Saratoga. He overcame that and he’s turning out to be somewhat of the horse that I think everybody thought he was back in the day.”

The Byerley Turk also drew Wendelssohn, the early 5-2 second choice, for trainer Chris Hartman. Wendelssohn was a sharp allowance winner sprinting Dec. 21 at Oaklawn, which marked his first start for Hartman.

Another entrant, Of a Revolution, exits a fourth-place finish in the $150,000 Ring the Bell Stakes Dec. 7 at Oaklawn for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. Of a Revolution is 4-1 in the program.

Finish Lines

First post for Saturday’s 12-race card at Oaklawn, which includes six stakes races, is 11:25 a.m. (Central). The card is highlighted by the $1,000,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds and the $300,000 Martha Washington Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Both races are 1 1/16 miles. … Gaming, the 2-1 program favorite for the Southwest, arrived Tuesday afternoon after being flown from his Southern California base, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said Wednesday morning. A Grade 1 winner, Gaming is one of three finalists for an Eclipse Award as the country’s champion 2-year-old male. … Baffert also entered March of Time in Saturday’s third race, a $130,000 entry-level allowance sprint, but said the lightly raced 4-year-old son of Triple Crown winner Justify will be scratched. “He didn’t get on the plane,” Baffert said. “He had a slight little fever. I’ve had some horses get sick here.” March of Time is the 7-5 program favorite. … Oaklawn will honor 2024 Southwest and Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan with a bobblehead promotion Saturday. Fans will receive a voucher after entering Oaklawn through the racing side on Central Avenue. They can redeem their free Mystik Dan bobblehead (one per person) following the fourth race at the north end of the first floor while supplies last. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. (Central).