TDN RISING STARS

November 10, 2023 - Churchill Downs, Race 6, AOC, USD $127,000, 1M, NW1X

Thorpedo Anna, F, 2, 2021 by Fast Anna

1st Dam: Sataves, by Uncle Mo
2nd Dam: Pacific Sky, by Stormy Atlantic
3rd Dam: Aldebaran Light, by Seattle Slew

Owner: Brookdale Racing Inc & Mark Edwards
Breeder: Judy Hicks (KY)
Trainer: Kenneth G McPeek

Brookdale Racing and Mark Edwards's Thorpedo Anna (f, 2, Fast Anna-Sataves, by Uncle Mo) proved that her wide-margin debut success in a sales price-restricted Keeneland maiden Oct. 26 was no fluke, backing up that performance with an even bigger one Friday at Churchill en route to 'TDN Rising Star' honors.

Tightening from even money to jump at exactly 2-5, the $40,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling switched off beautifully and settled in a three-wide third behind fractions of :23.22 and :46.74. Slipped a bit of rein at the three-eighths, Thorpedo Anna loomed up under a hold and was held together for the run into the stretch, and when Brian Hernandez, Jr. went for her in earnest in upper stretch, the response was equal parts instantaneous and devastating, as Thorpedo Anna widened through the final eighth of a mile to take it by nine lengths without ever feeling the crop. She covered her final two furlongs in a very strong :23.84 while not fully extended.

A $40,000 purchase by the shrewd Ken McPeek at last year's Fasig-Tipton October Sale, Thorpedo Anna is a maternal great-granddaughter of Aldebaran Light, the dam of GISW Eskendereya (Giant's Causeway) and the Group 1-winning juvenile Balmont (Stravinsky). Sataves is the dam of the yearling colt McAfee (Cloud Computing), a $40,000 purchase out of this year's Keeneland September Sale, and was most recently covered by Known Agenda.