Ken McPeek

Derby Winner Mystik Dan Resumes Under-Tack Training At Magdalena Farm

Mystik Dan (Goldencents) has resumed under-tack training at Ken McPeek's Magdalena Farm in Lexington as the GI Kentucky Derby winner attempts to get back in form after he was last seen running eighth in the GI Belmont Stakes, according to a press release on Friday from Churchill Downs. Mystik Dan was training over the summer at Saratoga, but his conditioner opted to give the colt time following his Triple Crown campaign. "He looks fantastic. There's a whole lot of hind quarter back on him," McPeek said. "This is going to...

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Hernandez Enjoying the Ride with Cotillion Favorite Thorpedo Anna

by Tim Wilkin, courtesy Wednesday's Pennsylvania Derby & Cotillion News The echoes that bounced off the rafters at Saratoga Race Course last month are still fresh in the mind of Brian Hernandez, Jr. The 38-year-old jockey can still hear the noise as he rode Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) to a heart-pounding second--beaten by a head--behind Fierceness (City of Light) in the GI Travers Stakes. Thorpedo Anna's bid to become the first filly to win the Travers in 109 years came up just short. Now, the page has turned to Parx...

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Thorpedo Anna To Face Seven In Cotillion, Dragoon Guard Favored In PA Derby

'TDN Rising Star' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) drew gate six in a field of eight and was made the 4-5 morning-line favorite when post positions were drawn Monday for Saturday's GI Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing in suburban Philadelphia. Trainer Ken McPeek will once again give Brian Hernandez, Jr. a leg up on Thorpedo Anna, whose victories in the GI Kentucky Oaks, GI Acorn Stakes and GI CCA Oaks have virtually clinched the 3-year-old filly championship with better than two months of racing left in 2024. She covered herself in...

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Thorpedo Anna Posts Final Major Work Ahead of Cotillion

Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks and Magdalena Racing's Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) posted her final work Saturday at Saratoga in preparation for Saturday's GI Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing. Trained by Kenny McPeek, the GI Kentucky Oaks winner covered five furlongs in 1:00.20 over the Oklahoma dirt training track under regular exercise rider Danny Ramsey. McPeek, who is currently at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, said the report on the filly's work was positive. "All accounts are that she worked super and came out super," said McPeek. "She's doing...

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Saratoga Notebook, Presented By NYRA Bets: Circumstances Produced Back-To-Back Stakes Duty For Ortiz

Saratoga Springs, N.Y.--While it wasn't the scenario he expected at the beginning of the month, trainer John Ortiz will be busy late Saturday afternoon saddling the fillies Brightwork (Outwork) and 'TDN Rising Star' Quietside (Malibu Moon) in consecutive stakes at Saratoga Race Course. First up will be WSS Racing's Brightwork in the GIII $200,000 Prioress Stakes, scheduled for 5:04 p.m. ET. Immediately after the six-furlong Prioress, Ortiz will scoot back to the paddock to prepare Shortleaf Stable's Quietside in the $300,000 GI Spinaway Stakes, which Brightwork won last year. When...

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Mike Repole Joins TDN Writers' Room Podcast

The public may have given up on Fierceness (City of Light) before the GI DraftKings Travers S., sending last year's 2-year-old champion off at 7-2. It was all about his inability to string together two good races. But owner Mike Repole remained confident and that confidence was rewarded in the Travers in a victory that put his homebred squarely in the mix for Horse of the Year. To talk about Fierceness, and also his desire to make changes in the sport through his National Thoroughbred Alliance, Repole joined this week's...

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Saratoga Notebook, Presented by NYRA Bets: Pletcher Did His Best to Get Fierceness Home in Travers

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.-When it became perfectly clear that the finish of Saturday's $1.25-million, GI DraftKings Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course was going to be desperately close, trainer Todd Pletcher went to work. Sitting up in his clubhouse box, the normally composed Pletcher rose to his feet and screamed and yelled for his 3-year-old colt Fierceness (City of Light) to get the job done in the Midsummer Derby. "I knew it was getting close," the Hall of Fame trainer said outside his office at his barn at the Oklahoma Training...

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McPeek, Thorpedo Anna Swing For the Fences In the Travers

When 'TDN Rising Star' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) enters the gate for Saturday's $1.25-million GI Travers Stakes at Saratoga, it'll be more than a sporting gesture on the part of the ownership group and trainer Ken McPeek. The conditioner is rolling the dice against a field that includes three other Grade I winners--an oft-brilliant, but sometimes unpredictable reigning Eclipse Award champion, a Classic winner over the course and distance and a seven-figure yearling whose full potential has yet to be realized. Sure, Thorpedo Anna could have faced her peers in...

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Saratoga Notebook, Presented By NYRA Bets: Thorpedo Anna Will Go Back To Fillies After Travers

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY -- Once the $1.25-million GI Travers Stakes is history, 'TDN Rising Star' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) will head back to running against fillies. Trainer Kenny McPeek said he has no plans on running his talented miss against the colts after the centerpiece of the summer meeting at the Spa. "No, no, no," McPeek said outside of his barn at annex off the Oklahoma Training Track Thursday morning. "A 3-year-old filly against the colts in the Breeders' Cup Classic? Unless it fell apart." The plan moving forward for...

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Saratoga Notebook, presented by NYRA Bets: McPeek Calls an Audible, Works Thorpedo Anna to Beat the Weather

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - At 4 a.m. Thursday morning, trainer Kenny McPeek changed the game. With the prospect of stormy weather on the horizon courtesy of the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby, McPeek decided to move up the work of his star filly, Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna). So, instead of a Saturday breeze for Thorpedo Anna, she went five furlongs in :59.59 (1/4) on the Oklahoma Training Track with exercise rider Danny Ramsey at 5:30 a.m. Thursday morning. Thorpedo Anna is being pointed to the $1.25-million GI Travers Stakes at...

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The Week in Review: McPeek Always Makes Things Interesting

Kenny McPeek announced Saturday that his superstar 3-year-old filly Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) will make her next start in the Aug. 24 GI DraftKings Travers S. McPeek had kept the decision to himself for a few days, but no one should have been surprised when he picked the Travers. That's McPeek's style, to be bold, to embrace a challenge to think outside of the box. There's no trainer like him. He has pulled this trick off before, winning 2020 GI Preakness S. with the filly Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil). "I just...

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Thorpedo Anna Will Run Against The Boys In The Travers

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - With one dominating win after another so far this season, it was time for a new challenge for the imposing 3-year-old filly Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna). Her trainer Kenny McPeek gave it to her on Saturday when he announced that Thorpedo Anna will make her next start in the $1.25 million Grade I Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 24. McPeek made the announcement during the Fox Saratoga Saturday broadcast. "We are headed to the Travers, and I'm going to give you a list...

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