1 of 3 | Thorpedo Anna, shown winning the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Distaff, returns in Saturday’s Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park. Photo by Alex Evers/ Eclipsesportswire, courtesy of Breeders’ Cup
March 7 (UPI) — Kentucky Derby preps in Florida and Ireland share the spotlight in weekend horse racing with the return to action of 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna.
In fact, Thorpedo Anna looks to steal the show, unless one of the 3-year-olds puts on an unexpectedly rousing performance. So, let’s start there.
Distaff
Thorpedo Anna returns to action Saturday as odds-on favorite in the $400,000 Grade II Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park, her first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Distaff in November at Del Mar to cap the championship season.
She’s been working steadily at Fair Grounds for the 4-year-old debut. Her only defeat in 2024 was by a head to Fierceness in the Travers. She started 2024 with a 4-length victory in the Grade II Fantasy at Oaklawn.
Out west at Santa Anita, Cavalieri puts her undefeated record on the line against five rivals in Saturday’s $300,000 Grade II B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile. The 4-year-old Nyquist filly is 3-for-3 and comes off a win in the Grade III La Canada, easily handling 1 1/16 miles while taking on older rivals for the first time. Brad Cox ships Tarifa west to challenge.
The Road to the Roses
Saturday’s $400,000 Grade III Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby sports a field of seven. Two are making their first start since the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Another already has two impressive wins to his credit this season, both at the Gulf Coast oval.
Hill Road, a Kentucky-bred colt by Quality Road, finished seventh in the Group 1 Vincent O’Brien National in Ireland before shipping to Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup.
Sent off at odds of 14-1, he spoiled some trifecta tickets by rallying from well back to finish third.
That was better than Chancer McPatrick, a McKinzie colt, who arrived in California undefeated after three starts, including the Grade I Hopeful at Saratoga and the Grade I Champagne at Aqueduct, only to finish a non-threatening sixth.
The Tampa Bay Derby will be the 3-year-old debut for both.
Owen Almighty, by contrast, started his campaign Jan. 11, finishing first in the 7-furlong Pasco Stakes at Tampa. He was demoted to sixth by the stewards for misbehaving during that heat, but then finished second, beaten just 1/2 length, in the 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis.
Among the others in the Derby field, Naughty Rascal was placed first in the Pasco, but then faded to get home sixth in the Sam F. Davis when asked to go farther, and Patch Adams comes off a decent second in the Grade III Southwest at Oaklawn Park.
Across the Atlantic, the “Euro” portion of Churchill Downs’ “Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby” winds up Friday night on the all-weather course at Dundalk in Ireland. The Group 2 UAE Derby on April 5 will decide the winner of the series. None of these five Patton entries looks a likely candidate for Louisville.
Classic
Skippylongstocking looks for a “three-peat” in Saturday’s $100,000 Grade III Michelob Ultra Challenger at Tampa Bay Downs. The 6-year-old won by 3 1/4 lengths in 2023 and 2 1/4 lengths last year in his only two appearances on Florida’s West Coast.
Notable opposition is Most Wanted, a 4-year-old whose only defeat from five career starts was a second behind Rattle N Roll in the Grade II Clark Stakes last November.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Spirit Wind and Nic’s Style top a field of seven for Saturday’s $165,000 Grade III Hurricane Bertie at Gulfstream Park.
Turf Sprint
Eight are set to go 6 1/2 furlongs down the Santa Anita hillside turf course in Saturday’s $100,000 Grade III San Simeon Stakes and it looks like a real scramble. Most of the eight have had their moments, but consistency is not their hallmark.
Already in the books: Gavea rallied from last of eight to win Tuesday’s $100,000 Mardi Gras Stakes for fillies and mares at Fair Grounds by 3/4 length from Big Trouble. The favorite, Accomplished Girl, was third.
Gavea, a 4-year-old, German-bred filly, ran about 5 1/2 furlongs on firm going in 1:05.31 for jockey Marcelino Pedroza Jr. Al Stall Jr. trains.
Turf
Two more 3-year-olds who underperformed in the Breeders’ Cup, Zulu Kingdom and Dream On, line up among nine in Saturday’s $125,000 Columbia Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Dream On finished fifth and Zulu Kingdom seventh in the Juvenile Turf in November at Del Mar.
Will Then won his last two starts as a juvenile, including the Grade III Jimmy Durante Nov. 30 at Del Mar, and ranks a likely contender in Sunday’s $100,000 Pasadena Stakes for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita.
Tiz Secure won at first asking, by 4 3/4 lengths, for trainer Bob Baffert on Feb. 22 at 6 furlongs on the dirt.
Filly & Mare Turf
Saturday’s $225,000 Grade II Hillsborough Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs has a fascinating twist in the form of Gimme a Nother. The South African bred mare was 7-for-7 in her native land before shipping to New York nearly a near ago.
The morning-line favorite, however, is Saffron Moon, winner of the Grade III Endeavour over the same turf in her last start. She’s 8-5 on the line; Gimme a Nother, 5-2.
Nitrogen is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in a field of 12 for Saturday’s $200,000 Grade III Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs. The Medaglia d’Oro filly, trained by Mark Casse, finished third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and won the Ginger Brew at Gulfstream Park in her 3-year-old debut.
Around the world, around the clock
Australia
Flemington hosts the All Star Mile and Yulong Newmarket Handicap on Saturday, competing for attention with the Randwick Guineas and Canterbury Stakes.
Mr Brightside and Tom Kitten are likelies in the All Star Mile. Broadsiding is well-backed in the Guineas. The other heats look very competitive.
Japan
Preparations for the upcoming Classics continue with the Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen, a 2,000 Guineas trial, Sunday at Nakayama and the Hochi Hai Fillies Revue, a 1,000 Guineas trial, Saturday at Nahshin.
Photo: Jason Moran / Eclipse Sportswire Jockey Mychel Sanchez will serve a seven-day suspension and pay an additional $1,750 in fines
Photo: Gulfstream Park / Lauren King Sovereignty, dramatic late-running winner of the Fountain of Youth (G2) March 1, is being pointed
Photo: Santa Anita / Benoit Photo Cavalieri and Alpha Bella, who finished one-two in the Grade 3 La Cañada in January at Santa Anita,
Photo: Gonzalo Anteliz Jr. / Eclipse Sportswire The stars will shine Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs, and not just in the Grade 3 Tampa Ba
