Thorpedo Anna will face seven rivals when she returns to her own gender in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing.
Perhaps, the combination of an opportunity at a Grade 1 stakes-placing, a nice payday for running second or third, and the fact the Cotillion is the last Grade 1 route stakes restricted to 3-year-old fillies going two turns led to a larger field than would be expected given such a standout runner as Thorpedo Anna. The Cotillion is run at 1 1/16 miles.
The presence of Thorpedo Anna in the Cotillion overshadows the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby, which drew a modest field of 11 led by Dragoon Guard, Stronghold, and Preakness winner Seize the Grey. The two races top a 14-race card featuring 11 stakes that begins at 11:35 a.m.
Thorpedo Anna, a three-time Grade 1 winner against 3-year-old fillies this year, is coming off a gutsy effort against males in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga where she finished second, beaten a head by Fierceness. Prior to that, Thorpedo Anna was 4 for 4 against 3-year-old fillies, including Grade 1 successes in the Kentucky Oaks, Acorn, and Coaching Club American Oaks.
Trainer Kenny McPeek said he wasn’t overly surprised that Thorpedo Anna will have plenty of company in the Cotillion starting gate when she breaks from post 6 under Brain Hernandez Jr.
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“I wouldn’t begrudge anybody for running second or third in a race of that magnitude, it’s $200,000 for running second, $100,000 for third and who knows, maybe my filly doesn’t run well,” McPeek said. “Hopefully, she doesn’t have any traffic issues.”
Thorpedo Anna has worked twice since the Travers, including a five-furlong move in 1:00.20 over Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track on Saturday. McPeek said she worked in company with another filly, finishing well in front of that one at the end.
McPeek said Thorpedo Anna’s first work after the Travers was slower than he wanted and though he wasn’t there Saturday morning, McPeek’s instructions were for her to have “a good, strong work.”
The competition in Saturday’s Cotillion is headed by Power Squeeze, who won the Grade 1 Alabama narrowly over Candied on Aug. 17, following a similarly narrow victory over Sidamara in the Delaware Oaks in July. Power Squeeze, a five-time stakes winner this year, will have a new rider in Irad Ortiz Jr. as Javier Castellano, aboard for her two most recent stakes wins, was injured in a spill at Saratoga on Aug. 30 and will be out until early October.
Sidamara, second in the Delaware Oaks, was forced to miss the Alabama with a fever but has bounced back with four works in Saratoga since Aug. 18. Power Squeeze drew the rail while Sidamara breaks from post 5 and will be ridden by Jose Ortiz.
The field is completed by Tarifa, a multiple Grade 2 stakes winner during the Fair Grounds meet; Mystic Lake, the Grade 2 Charles Town Oaks winner; Gun Song, winner of the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan and Cathryn Sophia; Scalabale, the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks winner; and Everland, the Bourbonette Oaks winner. Everland is cross-entered in Saturday’s Seneca Stakes at Churchill Downs.
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Cox seeks second straight Pennsylvania Derby
Trainer Brad Cox, who won last year’s Pennsylvania Derby with Saudi Crown, will look for a second straight win in the $1 million race for 3-year-olds when he sends out Dragoon Guard against Preakness winner Seize the Grey and Santa Anita Derby winner Stronghold in a field of 11 entered for the 1 1/8-mile race.
Dragoon Guard, beaten a head in his debut last year, has won all four of his races this year, including the Grade 3 Indiana Derby and Grade 3 West Virginia Derby. Moreover, Dragoon Guard will most likely try to accomplish the victory in the same front-running manner in which Saudi Crown won last year’s Pennsylvania Derby against 10 rivals.
Dragoon Guard, drew post 7 and was installed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite. Stronghold, second to Dragoon Guard in the Grade 3 Indiana Derby, drew post 11 and was made the 5-2 second choice, followed by Seize the Grey, who is the 5-1 third choice breaking from post 2.
Others entered in the race include Doc Sullivan, Lonesome Boy, Timeout, Protective, Just Step On It, Unmatched Wisdom, Who’s the King, and Uncle Heavy.
In other open company stakes on Saturday’s card:
* Next, the marathon dirt specialist, drew post 9 in a field of 10 entered for the Grade 3, $200,000 Greenwood Cup at 1 1/2 miles. Next won this race last year by 25 lengths over My Imagination, who is back in this spot.
* The Pennsylvania-bred Jean Valjean seeks his fourth straight victory in a seemingly wide open Grade 3, $250,000 Turf Monster Stakes scheduled for five furlongs over the embattled Parx turf course that re-opened Monday after being shut down for several weeks over safety concerns.
The Turf Monster, run at five furlongs, drew 14 horses, though the field will be limited to 10 starters. Souper Quest, third in the Harvey Pack at Saratoga last out, and Senbei, third in the Select Stakes at Monmouth Park, are among the chief contenders.
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*Bentornato, third behind Forever Young and Book’em Danno in the Saudi Derby in February, heads a field of eight 3-year-olds entered in the Grade 2, $400,000 Gallant Bob Stakes at six furlongs on dirt.
Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. entered the pair of One Sharp Cookie and Practically Dark.
* The multiple graded stakes-placed Coastal Mission heads a field of eight entered in the $300,000 Parx Dirt Mile.
Adero and Concealed Carry, separated by a head in the Mayor’s Mile at Parx on Aug. 24, are also in this field.
* Multiple graded stakes winner Super Chow was supplemented to the $100,000 Parx Sprint at 6 1/2 furlongs and looks to be the one to beat in an 11-horse field that includes local stakes winners Gordian Knot, My Buddy B, and Twisted Ride.
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