2025.03.09 Oaklawn Racing Updates

Racing Press Release
Compiled by Robert Yates

Sunday, March 9, 2025

Reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna emerged in good order from her victory in Saturday’s $400,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) and is scheduled to return to Fair Grounds early this week, Ray Bryner, who oversees trainer Kenny McPeek’s Oaklawn division, said Sunday morning.

“She came out of it perfect – absolutely perfect,” Bryner said. “She’ll leave Monday or Tuesday.”

Thorpedo Anna, in her 4-year-old debut, shook off a challenge from Free Like a Girl turning for home and drew off to a front-running 3 ½-length victory under regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. Thorpedo Anna, who broke from the rail, covered 1 1/16 miles over a sealed, wet-fast surface in 1:44.02. She paid $2.20 as the 1-9 favorite.

McPeek was using the Azeri as Thorpedo Anna’s bridge to the $1.25 million Apple Blossom (G1) for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles April 12 at Oaklawn.

“As long as everything’s good with her, health-wise, she is going to run in the Apple Blossom,” McPeek said immediately following the Azeri.

McPeek said Thorpedo Anna would train this month and “maybe” into April at Fair Grounds before returning to Oaklawn for the Apple Blossom.

Thorpedo Anna faced only four rivals in the Azeri following the scratches of Bow Draw and Wild Bout Hilary. The latter occurred

at the starting gate after Wild Bout Hilary became fractious, reared and unseated jockey Rafael Bejarano, triggering a reload of the field. Bejarano wasn’t injured.

McPeek and Hernandez said they were both impressed with how Thorpedo Anna handled her business, including the delay at the starting gate.

“It kind of showed a new dimension of her,” Hernandez said moments after the Azeri. “Last year, her first couple of races, she got a little warm in the post parade and stuff like that. Whereas today, they backed her out and it never phased her. She walked right back in. She stood in the gate. Never moved a muscle and left right on cue like we needed her to.”

The only other time Thorpedo Anna has broken from the rail was in last year’s Travers Stakes (G1), when she brushed the “near side stall at the start,” according to footnotes from the official race chart. Thorpedo Anna, in her first start against males, was beaten a head by champion Fierceness in the $1.25 million “Midsummer Derby.” It was her only loss in seven starts last year.

“I think the biggest thing is, we were worried about how she left the gate,” McPeek said. “She left it clean. We’ve done some extra gate schooling. I think the most impressive thing is that she seems so much more composed the older she’s gotten. If you recall last year, she was kind of nervous in the post parade, a little washy, got wet. She seems to have left that behind and I think that’s a good thing, right, although it was much cooler today. But any time a horse gets washed out, too nervous, then you concern yourself. But she doesn’t seem to be doing it anymore.”

Thorpedo Anna ($4,083,663) eclipsed $4 million in career earnings following her ninth victory from 11 starts. She is a seven-time stakes winner. McPeek trains Thorpedo Anna, a daughter of the late Fast Anna, for a partnership that includes her breeder, Judy Hicks, McPeek’s wife, Sherri (Magdalena Racing), and Kentucky attorney Mark Edwards. Kenny McPeek purchased Thorpedo Anna for just $40,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale.

Thorpedo Anna was a unanimous choice for North America’s champion 3-year-old filly and a runaway winner for Horse of the Year after compiling a 6-1-0 record from seven starts and earning $3,653,050. All six victories were stakes, including Oaklawn’s $750,000 Fantasy (G2) in her 3-year-old debut last March.

Following the 1 1/16-mile Fantasy, Thorpedo Anna raced exclusively in Grade 1 events the remainder of 2024 and secured year-end honors 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 in her last start. The 1 1/8-mile Distaff marked Thorpedo Anna’s first race against older horses.

“She’s an amazing filly,” Hernandez said.

Thorpedo Anna became the third reigning Horse of the Year to run at Oaklawn, following Favorite Trick and Azeri. Favorite Trick, the 1997 Horse of the Year, suffered his first career loss in the $500,000 Arkansas Derby (G2) for 3-year-olds in 1998. Azeri was the 2002 Horse of the Year. A three-time Apple Blossom winner (2002, 2003 and 2004), Azeri was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2010.

The Azeri Stakes was run as the Oaklawn Breeders’ Cup in 1987-2004 before Oaklawn renamed the race in her honor in 2005.

Coal Battle Update

Next-race plans remain pending for multiple Oaklawn stakes winner and Kentucky Derby candidate Coal Battle, trainer Lonnie Briley said Sunday morning.

Briley said Coal Battle is under consideration for the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) March 29 at Oaklawn and the $1.25 Blue Grass Stakes (G1) April 5 at Keeneland. Both races are 1 1/8 miles. A third option, Briley said, is Coal Battle training up to the Kentucky Derby.

“I’m going to leave it up to him,” Briley said. “If he’s ready to run, we’ll probably run here. If he’s not, I’ll wait for the Derby. I mean, they’ve got some tough horses out there right now, making all these preps and stuff.”

Coal Battle secured a spot in the Kentucky Derby with a victory in the $1.25 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 23. Coal Battle opened 2025 with a victory in the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 4 at Oaklawn. Coal Battle tops the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 70 points. The race is limited to 20 starters.

Coal Battle returned to the work tab for the first time since the Rebel March 5 at Oaklawn, covering a half-mile in :49.40. Briley said he is scheduled to work again Wednesday. The son of millionaire Oaklawn stakes winner Coal Front is perfect in five career dirt starts.

Speed King, who is pointing for the Arkansas Derby, recorded a 5-furlong bullet workout (:59.40) Sunday morning at Oaklawn for trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs. The track was muddy.

Speed King won the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) Jan. 25 at Oaklawn before finishing 10th in the Rebel.

Finish Lines

Jockey C.J. McMahon said late Saturday afternoon that he suffered “a couple” of broken ribs when he was unseated in a spill earlier in the day at Oaklawn. McMahon, who is based at Fair Grounds, was scheduled to ride Wild Bout Hilary in Saturday’s $400,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) before he was injured in the third race aboard Knicks Story. Jockeys Martin Chuan (aboard Last Diamond) and Hugo Torres (Out Run’m) were also involved in the incident, but they both escaped serious injury, as did all three horses. McMahon was transported to a local hospital following the spill, but he returned later Saturday to Oaklawn. … Agent Cody Autrey said Sunday morning that he will represent jockey Francisco Arrieta for the remainder of the Oaklawn meeting, which ends May 3. Arrieta had been represented by Jay Fedor, who brought the jockey to Oaklawn for the first time in 2021. Arrieta shared the 2021-2022 Oaklawn riding title with David Cabrera. Each won 62 races. Autrey also represents Cristian Torres, who is headed toward his third consecutive Oaklawn riding title. Under Arkansas rules, an agent is allowed only two journeymen riders. Autrey said he was able to take Arrieta’s book because Harry Hernandez (11 victories at the meet) has returned to Turf Paradise. Arrieta has 24 victories this season at Oaklawn. … Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen won two races Saturday, extending his record career Oaklawn total to 973. Asmussen won the third race with Axton ($48.60) and the sixth race with Sweet as Sin ($19). Both horses were ridden by Asmussen’s son, Erik Asmussen, the 2024 Eclipse Award winner as North America’s champion apprentice jockey.