By Steve Sherack
Tuning up for next Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar, four-time Grade I winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) breezed five furlongs beneath regular exercise rider Danny Ramsey in 1:01.24 (1/3) over Saratoga's Oklahoma training track Saturday morning. The move was recorded in company with her multiple stakes-placed Ken McPeek-trained stablemate and 4-year-old gelding Denington (Gun Runner).
After purchasing a total of 21 yearlings earlier this month–five at the Tattersalls October Yearling sale and 16 at the Fasig-Tipton October Yearling sale–McPeek was back in town at his Saratoga base to watch the GI Kentucky Oaks winner train this weekend.
“Nice maintenance workout,” McPeek said. “Just let her sit off the outside of Denington–who's a nice horse in his own right–and let her cruise along, then stretch out down the lane. Nice long gallop out. It wasn't complicated.”
McPeek added, “She's in a really good routine up here and she's been very happy.”
Thorpedo Anna, a narrow winner of the GI Cotillion Stakes at Parx last out Sept. 21, figures to be one of the heaviest favorites of the weekend in the Distaff following Friday's defection of the race's defending winner Idiomatic (Curlin).
Thorpedo Anna workout from my perspective. Beautiful fall morning in Saratoga Springs. pic.twitter.com/oleC89YBvw
— Kenny McPeek (@KennyMcPeek) October 26, 2024
Mystik Dan (Goldencents), meanwhile, returned to the worktab for McPeek with a three-furlong breeze in :36.20 (1/15) at Keeneland Saturday morning. The GI Kentucky Derby winner and GI Preakness Stakes runner-up was freshened after finishing a disappointing eighth in the GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga June 8.
“Unfortunately, I couldn't split myself,” McPeek said with a laugh.
“Robby Albarado got on him and we just let him run a quarter, out an eighth. He went :36 1/5. Robby says it's the best he's ever felt. He's bigger and stronger. I think we did the right thing there and we're gonna get rewarded for it in time. He's just a lovely horse–it's one step of many. He leaves for the Fair Grounds on Monday. We'll put him in that division down there and get him in a good routine. Probably four to six weeks until I pick a race. Gonna let him progress before we start thinking about that.”
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