$1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) : She’s still “The Grizzly.”

Compiled by David Longinotti

Coady Media

Thorpedo Anna, the reigning Horse of the Year and current Queen of American racing, stalked an honest early pace set by Wild Bout Hilary, assumed command entering the second turn, and drew off in the stretch to win Oaklawn’s $1,250,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) Saturday.

Winning her sixth Grade 1 stakes race (and 10th overall) in her 12th career start, Thorpedo Anna earned $731,250 from her 4 1/4-length score to improve her lifetime earnings to $4,814,913 for owners Brookdale Racing, Mark Edward, Judy B. Hicks and Magdalena Racing.

The Kenny McPeek trainee, ridden in each of her starts by jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr., first achieved fame by winning last year’s Kentucky Oaks (G1) after launching her campaign in Oaklawn’s $750,000 G2-Fantasy Stakes. After the Oaks, Thorpedo Anna won Saratoga’s Acorn (G1) and CCA Oaks (G1) before winding down her 3-year-old campaign with a 2 ½-length score in the Breeder’s Cup Distaff (G1). She was the unanimous choice for Champion 3-Year-Old Filly and overwhelming choice for Horse of the Year. She won Oaklawn’s Azeri Stakes (G2) in her first start of the year on March 8.

Going off as the 1-10 favorite Thorpedo Anna returned modest mutuels of $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10. As in the Azeri, Free Like a Girl was second, finishing 1 ½ lengths in front of show horse Where’s My Ring. It was another 10 ¾-lengths back to fourth-place finisher Neom Beach and pacesetter Wild Bout Hilary and Sweet Alyssa completed the order of finish. Noble Miss was scratched.

$1,250,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) & $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) Recap

Compiled by Robert Yates | Photo Credit: Coady Media

APPLE BLOSSOM HANDICAP QUOTES

WINNING JOCKEY BRIAN HERNANDEZ JR. (THORPEDO ANNA): “I hit her one time, just because she inherited the lead so easily around the (second turn) and she threw her ears up. And when she turned for home, I called on her and she spurted off, and then she kind of got to messing around, looking at the crowd and stuff like that. I just wanted to make sure that she was fully engaged. I slapped her one time and she shot off again. That was kind of the plan, to follow the horse on the lead (Wild Bout Hilary). The horse on the lead, she was cruising along pretty nicely. But that filly’s never faced a filly of our quality. Another testament to her (Thorpedo Anna). She decided when she wanted to go. I was just kind of sitting up there. When she swapped leads going into the second turn and she jumped on her, I was like: ‘OK, no worries.’ ”

WINNING TRAINER KENNY McPEEK (THORPEDO ANNA): “We talked about keeping her out of trouble and we talked about, perhaps, even challenging anybody that wanted to go up front. He (jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.) is a master classman at this. I really don’t worry about Brian and what he does out there. I’ve said all along, I really trust Brian. It makes me a little nervous when a horse is that short a price because there’s such expectations. But you’d rather be the favorite than the long shot, I suppose, to get it done. I wish every horse trainer in America, and even jockey, could have a horse like her to be around. I worked all my career to try to find those kind of horses and she really does make our job easy. She’s not complicated. She loves to eat. She loves to train. It’s a real pleasure to be around her. She’s great.”

WINNING CO-OWNER JUDY B. HICKS (THORPEDO ANNA): “I think she belongs there (with previous highly regarded Apple Blossom winners). She proved today that belongs right up there with all the other big names.”

SECOND-PLACE JOCKEY JULIEN LEPAROUX (FREE LIKE A GIRL): “She ran great. Perfect trip. She tried hard. Just got beat a champion. That’s it.”

SECOND-PLACE TRAINER CHASEY DEVILLE POMIER: “Can’t complain. “I don’t think so (when asked about Free Like a Girl being retired). We always go race-by-race. Everybody keeps asking. We go race-by-race and she performed well today. I think we’re going to maybe aim at the La Troienne again and see where we go. I was hoping there would be a little more speed on the front end, a little pressure, but it pretty much played out like we thought it was going to.”

COUNT FLEET SPRINT HANDICAP

Like father, like son? You bet.

Booth repelled the challenge of Anarchist turning for home enroute to a front-running three-quarter length victory over stablemate Ryvit in the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) for older horses Saturday at Oaklawn.

Both, the 2-5 favorite, represented the fourth consecutive Count Fleet victory for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and his record-extending seventh overall. Asmussen won the 2019 Count Fleet with Mitole, who was crowned North America’s champion male sprinter that year. Booth is from the first crop of Mitole, who was North American’s leading freshman sire of 2023.

Ridden by Erik Asmussen, Booth ($2.80) notched his third consecutive stakes victory this season at Oaklawn. Booth dominated his rivals by a combined seven front-running lengths in the inaugural $145,000 Commodore Overnight Feb. 24 and the $250,000 Whitmore (G3) March 15. Both races were six furlongs.

Unlike the Commodore Overnight and Whitmore, Booth faced early pace pressure in the Count Fleet.

From the outside, Anarchist, a Grade 2 winner for Southern California-based trainer Doug O’Neill, pressed Booth through a :21.87 opening quarter and a :44.66 half-mile. Booth and Anarchist matched strides to the wire, with the heavy favorite edging clear late. Ryvit, also trained by Steve Asmussen, closed well to nip Anarchist by a head for second. Anarchist was followed, in order, by Happy American, Tejano Twist, Devil’s Tower and Payne. Booth, who carried top weight of 123 pounds, ran six furlongs over a fast track in 1:09.82.

The Count Fleet, Booth’s third career stakes victory and sixth victory in 10 starts overall, increased his earnings to $761,191. William and Corinne Heiligbrodt, along with Jackpot Farm (Terry Green), purchased Booth for $225,000 at the 2023 OBS March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. Whispering Oaks Farm (Carrol Castille) is now a co-owner.

The Heiligbrodts, among the most successful owners in Oaklawn history, also campaigned Mitole. Steve Asmussen also won the Count Fleet in 2013 (Justin Phillip), 2014 (Lemon Drop Dream), 2022 (Jackie’s Warrior), 2023 (Skelly) and 2024 (Skelly).

Asmussen is the father of Erik and Keith Asmussen.

COUNT FLEET QUOTES

WINNING JOCKEY ERIK ASMUSSEN (BOOTH): “Really showed his class today. He didn’t have everything his own way. He handled the pressure and his class prevailed. He didn’t break quite as good as I wanted. I think he kind of missed it (break) just a touch. But he’s still so athletic and so fast away from there, I’m still on the lead where I wanted to be.”

WINNING TRAINER STEVE ASMUSSEN (BOOTH): “He ran an incredible race. Faced a lot of pressure, :44 and (4/5), a big horse on his outside (Anarchist) and proved his quality today. Just extremely proud to win such a significant race; been a very special race. The (co-owners William and Corinne) Heiligbrodts and their partnership group, and with a son of Mitole who had also won this race for us, on a beautiful day here at Oaklawn – couldn’t be any nicer.”

SECOND-PLACE JOCKEY KEITH ASMUSSEN (RYVIT): “He (Ryvit) is ultra-talented, so I’m excited for every opportunity I have to ride him. The race developed kind of like I expected. You have to go and respect Booth and if nobody’s going to apply the pressure, they’re just going to give it to him on a silver platter. Super proud of my brother for sitting chilly, even though it’s a super high-pressure circumstance. To see him keep his composure and deliver, I’m incredibly proud of my brother.”

THIRD-PLACE JOCKEY KYLE FREY (ANARCHIST): “He (Booth) was the horse to beat. I knew if I let him get a breather like he’s had the last two times, it was going to be an easy one for him. So, I decided to stay right there on him and apply the pressure. Best horse won.”