        |
|
 |
Paco Lopez 4000 wins Woodbine Turf Showcase Woodward Stakes Day Pennsylvania Derby Day Mohawk Million Night |
|
|
 Brian Hernandez Jr. celebrates aboard Thorpedo Anna after winning the Kentucky Oaks. | |
The $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) is the premier race in the country for 3-year-old fillies, and is the female counterpart to the Kentucky Derby. After Tapit Jenallie scratched allowing Our Pretty Woman to draw in (and leaving second also-eligible Candied out), a full field of 14 faced the starter in the 150th renewal of this 1 1/8 mile main track feature at Churchill Downs, run on Friday before 107,236 fans, through light rain and a post time temperature of 70 degrees, with the main track rated sloppy, already wet from overnight rain. All-sources wagering on the Kentucky Oaks race was $21.7 million, down 3% from last year. “Congratulations to the connections of Thorpedo Anna on today’s win,” said Churchill Downs President Mike Anderson. “The 150th Kentucky Oaks will be remembered as a historic day as we celebrate our deep-rooted traditions with our fans, sponsors, horsemen and horseplayers.”
 Thorpedo Anna leads down the stretch in the Kentucky Oaks. |
Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. sent Thorpedo Anna to the front first time by and she set fractions of 22.87, 46.79, and 1:11.75 while pressed by 40-1 Fiona's Magic and stalked by 11-2 fourth choice Ways and Means. Turning for home, Thorpedo Anna opened up a 2 length lead through 1 mile in 1:37.42. Kept to task by Hernandez, Thorpedo Anna drew off late to win by 4 3/4 lengths over late-running favorite Just F Y I in 1:10.83. It was another 3 lengths back to 29-1 Regulatory Risk third.
There were six other stakes races on the card with the Oaks. Full results for all of them with more photos are here.
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 5 Thorpedo Anna Hernandez Jr. 10.98 6.06 4.36 13 Just F Y I Alvarado 5.06 3.98 4 Regulatory Risk Ortiz 11.82 Winning Time: 1:50.83 $2 Exacta 5-13 38.20 $0.50 Trifecta 5-13-4 448.58 $1 Superfecta 5-13-4-11 4,275.21 |
Left: Thorpedo Anna in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Ken McPeek said, "She was a bear today. She has been training great and when I saw brian had the race in control I thought she could do it. It's just so amazing to finally win this race. We've been close for a long time but it's a great feeling to get it done."
Right: Thorpedo Anna gets hosed off in her new winner's blanket. Winning co-owner Mark Edwards said, "We came together because Kenny put us together. And I will say this about Kenny, I've had several horses with him. One of his exercise riders, a former jockey, says Kenny is a seven second man. He looks at a horse for seven seconds, he can tell if it's a good one. So I give him all the credit."
Left: Thorpedo Anna walks over before the race. Winning jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. said, "I felt confident. She was out there and feeling comfortable. It means so much to win it for this team. Kenny and his barn have done a lot for my career."
Right: Thorpedo Anna in her winner's blanket and the lillies. McPeek added, "I was pretty calm through it all. When I saw she clicked off on her own, and she was basically just in hand under Brian. I felt really confident, even the first half mile. She's just fast. Judy's bred a beautiful filly here, and she's got gear on top of gear. Really looking forward to her future, even beyond today."
Left: Thorpedo Anna in the post parade. Hernandez added, "I have been very fortunate. Probably been seven, eight years now, Kenny started using me down in New Orleans. And we had success early on, and it's just been successful since. The nice thing about riding for Kenny, him and the team do such a good job getting these horses ready and preparing them. And he brings over really good horses. And in the same aspect, when it comes down to me having to ride him, he entrusted me and lets me kind of go out there and do things and not tie my hands to force horses to do things they might not like to do."
Right: Thorpedo Anna leads on the rail first time by. Hernandez added, "I think my riding style fits with his training style, as well, where we let the horses develop and let them take you around there and try to find the trip with them. It's just been a great relationship, and I have been fortunate enough to fall into a good spot."
The connections at the post race interview (jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., co-owners Mark Edwards and Jamie Wilson, breeder and co-owner Judy Hicks, trainer Ken McPeek). Breeder and co-owner Judy Hicks said, "Emotionally can't really describe. She was always a tyrant at the farm. You went this the stall to try to catch her with her mother she would turn and fire at you with everything she had."
Left: Second place finisher Just F Y I walks over before the race. Trainer Bill Mott said, "I had a great trip. I didn't have any excuses. My filly broke a little funny from the outside post but we got as good a trip as you could possibly ask for. I mean he got her tucked in, she was in position leaving the five-sixteenths pole to win. It looked like we had that (Thorpedo Anna) on our radar. It looked like she could probably catch her from there and the other filly just didn't back up."
Right: Third place finisher Regulatory Risk after the finish. Trainer Chad Brown said, "When we shipped Regulatory Risk here she turned a lot of eyes. The horse breezed so good up in New York we made the decision to take the blinkers off and relax her. She really ran super and mission accomplished with her. We were trying to get third. And for a moment there at the quarter pole looking at the fractions, I'm thinking could she inherit, sort of, this win with a pace collapse? That wasn't to be. But she did run great."
Left: The fillies splash around the clubhouse turn. Luis Saez aboard last place finisher Fiona's Magic (7) said, "Good trip, just couldn't finish with these horses." Trainer Bo Yates added, "Not too sure what happened out there. Bummer."
Right: The fillies break from the gate for the Kentucky Oaks. Tyler Gaffalione aboard fourth place finisher Ways and Means (11) said, "I'm proud of her effort. I don't think she completely cared for the track. It was too much on the sloppy side for her. She traveled great to the quarter pole but when It came to go, I didn't have much left to go with."
Back to Horse-Races.Net main page
| Search Horse-Races.Net: |
