Thorpedo Anna (USA)
January 28, 2021 – Living
Fast Anna (USA) x Sataves (USA), by Uncle Mo (USA)
Family 2-d
January 28, 2021 – Living
Fast Anna (USA) x Sataves (USA), by Uncle Mo (USA)
Family 2-d
During a year in which the best American 3-year-old males and older males took turns beating each other, Thorpedo Anna was six-for-six against her own sex and missed running down 2023 American champion 2-year-old male Fierceness by only a head in the Travers Stakes (USA-G1)—her only loss of 2024. That consistency earned her American Horse of the Year honors as well as the title of American champion 3-year-old filly. Her exploits also led to her dam, Sataves, being voted the 2024 Broodmare of the Year by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. The seventh filly or mare to be named American Horse of the Year since the Eclipse Awards were instituted in 1971, Thorpedo Anna won two more Grade 1 races as a 4-year-old in 2025 before retiring to the broodmare ranks.
Race record
16 starts, 12 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, US$5,440,913
2023:
2024:
2025:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 120 pounds on the 2024 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 8 pounds below overall co-highweights City of Troy (the European Horse of the Year) and Laurel River (winner of the Dubai World Cup, UAE-G1) and 7 pounds below the top filly or mare, Via Sistina (the 2024/25 Australian Horse of the Year).
As an individual
A bay mare, Thorpedo Anna is well-balanced and generally correct other than for an offset knee. A rather highly-strung filly, she tended to be on the muscle and rather hard to handle when about to race but was generally easy to handle around the barn and seemed to enjoy training. She enjoys peppermints as treats.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Thorpedo Anna was bred by Judy Hicks. She was sold to Kenny McPeek for US$40,000 through the 2022 Keeneland October yearling sale, with Hicks asking to get back in on the filly after the sale. Thorpedo Anna raced for Brookdale Racing, Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek), Mark Edwards, and Judy Hicks, with John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Farms purchasing a half interest in the filly in August 2025 and Brookdale Racing exiting the ownership group at that time. Hill 'n' Dale paid US$1 million for another 20 percent interest in the champion through the Keeneland Championship Sale at Del Mar on October 29, 2025. Thorpedo Anna was trained by Kenny McPeek. She retired from racing after a subpar performance in the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (USA-G1).
Pedigree notes
Much the best runner sired by Grade 1-placed Fast Anna (by Medaglia d’Oro), Thorpedo Anna is outcrossed through five generations. She is out of Sataves, whose dam Pacific Sky (by Stormy Atlantic) is a half sister to 2003 Middle Park Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Balmont (by Stravinsky) and to 2010 Wood Memorial Stakes (USA-G1) winner Eskendereya (by Giant’s Causeway). Pacific Sky is also a half sister to Wear Red (by Henny Hughes), dam of stakes winner Jessica Krupnick (by Uncle Mo).
Pacific Sky and her siblings were produced from the winner Aldebaran Light (by Seattle Slew), a half sister to 2003 Lazaro Barrera Memorial Stakes (USA-G2) winner Blazonry (by Hennessy). The next dam in Thorpedo Anna’s tail-female line, Altair (by Alydar), is a half sister to Erimo Amethyst (by Seattle Slew), whose son Erimo Maxim (by Brian's Time) was a Japanese stakes winner on the flat and over jumps. Altair is also a half sister to Erino Etoilee (by Manhattan Cafe), dam of 2021 Tababata Sho (JPN-G3) winner Taurus Gemini (by King’s Best).
Altair’s dam, Stellar Odyssey (by Northern Dancer), is a full sister to listed stakes winner Wassl Touch and a half sister to 1974 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Cannonade (by Bold Bidder) and multiple Grade 3 winner Circle Home. Produced from Queen Sucree (by Ribot), a daughter of 1974 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Cosmah, Stellar Odyssey is also a half sister to stakes winner Del Sarto (by Bold Bidder) and to multiple graded/Group stakes producers Kennelot (by Gallant Man) and Princess Sucree (by Roberto).
Books and media
Footage of Thorpedo Anna’s thrilling victory over Dorth Vader in the 2025 Personal Ensign Stakes can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flk-bCOPs6U.
Fun facts
Last updated: November 8, 2025
Race record
16 starts, 12 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, US$5,440,913
2023:
- 2nd Golden Rod Stakes (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
2024:
- Won Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (USA-G1, 9FD, Del Mar)
- Won Longines Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won DK Horse Acorn Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
- Won Coaching Club American Oaks Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
- Won Cotillion Stakes (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Parx Racing)
- Won Fantasy Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Oaklawn Park)
- 2nd Draftkings Travers Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Saratoga)
2025:
- Won Apple Blossom Stakes (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Oaklawn Park)
- Won Personal Ensign Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
- Won Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Azeri Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Oaklawn Park)
Honors
- American Horse of the Year (2024)
- American champion 3-year-old filly (2024)
Assessments
Rated at 120 pounds on the 2024 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 8 pounds below overall co-highweights City of Troy (the European Horse of the Year) and Laurel River (winner of the Dubai World Cup, UAE-G1) and 7 pounds below the top filly or mare, Via Sistina (the 2024/25 Australian Horse of the Year).
As an individual
A bay mare, Thorpedo Anna is well-balanced and generally correct other than for an offset knee. A rather highly-strung filly, she tended to be on the muscle and rather hard to handle when about to race but was generally easy to handle around the barn and seemed to enjoy training. She enjoys peppermints as treats.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Thorpedo Anna was bred by Judy Hicks. She was sold to Kenny McPeek for US$40,000 through the 2022 Keeneland October yearling sale, with Hicks asking to get back in on the filly after the sale. Thorpedo Anna raced for Brookdale Racing, Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek), Mark Edwards, and Judy Hicks, with John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Farms purchasing a half interest in the filly in August 2025 and Brookdale Racing exiting the ownership group at that time. Hill 'n' Dale paid US$1 million for another 20 percent interest in the champion through the Keeneland Championship Sale at Del Mar on October 29, 2025. Thorpedo Anna was trained by Kenny McPeek. She retired from racing after a subpar performance in the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (USA-G1).
Pedigree notes
Much the best runner sired by Grade 1-placed Fast Anna (by Medaglia d’Oro), Thorpedo Anna is outcrossed through five generations. She is out of Sataves, whose dam Pacific Sky (by Stormy Atlantic) is a half sister to 2003 Middle Park Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Balmont (by Stravinsky) and to 2010 Wood Memorial Stakes (USA-G1) winner Eskendereya (by Giant’s Causeway). Pacific Sky is also a half sister to Wear Red (by Henny Hughes), dam of stakes winner Jessica Krupnick (by Uncle Mo).
Pacific Sky and her siblings were produced from the winner Aldebaran Light (by Seattle Slew), a half sister to 2003 Lazaro Barrera Memorial Stakes (USA-G2) winner Blazonry (by Hennessy). The next dam in Thorpedo Anna’s tail-female line, Altair (by Alydar), is a half sister to Erimo Amethyst (by Seattle Slew), whose son Erimo Maxim (by Brian's Time) was a Japanese stakes winner on the flat and over jumps. Altair is also a half sister to Erino Etoilee (by Manhattan Cafe), dam of 2021 Tababata Sho (JPN-G3) winner Taurus Gemini (by King’s Best).
Altair’s dam, Stellar Odyssey (by Northern Dancer), is a full sister to listed stakes winner Wassl Touch and a half sister to 1974 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Cannonade (by Bold Bidder) and multiple Grade 3 winner Circle Home. Produced from Queen Sucree (by Ribot), a daughter of 1974 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Cosmah, Stellar Odyssey is also a half sister to stakes winner Del Sarto (by Bold Bidder) and to multiple graded/Group stakes producers Kennelot (by Gallant Man) and Princess Sucree (by Roberto).
Books and media
Footage of Thorpedo Anna’s thrilling victory over Dorth Vader in the 2025 Personal Ensign Stakes can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flk-bCOPs6U.
Fun facts
- Thorpedo Anna was named for the granddaughter of co-owner Mark Edwards, Anna “Thorpedo” Thorp, a competitive swimmer for Louisville’s Sacred Heart Academy and the Lakeside Swim Club.
- Thorpedo Anna’s dam, Sataves, was born six weeks premature and with crushed hocks. Given the filly by her breeder; Sanford Robertson, Judy Hicks nursed the feisty baby to health, although Sataves’ legs never grew to normal length.
- Thorpedo Anna and Mystik Dan completed a rare double for trainer Kenny McPeek and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. in 2025 by winning the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, respectively, on consecutive days. McPeek was the first trainer to win the Oaks and the Derby in the same year since Ben Jones won with Real Delight (Oaks) and Hill Gail (Derby) in 1952. Hernandez was the first jockey to ride both winners in the same year since 2009, when Calvin Borel won with Rachel Alexandra (Oaks) and Mine That Bird (Derby).
- While training over the winter of 2024-25, Thorpedo Anna and Mystik Dan routinely worked together because nothing else in Kenny McPeek’s barn could keep up with them.
- Thorpedo Anna is the second Kentucky Oaks winner to have earned American Horse of the Year honors, following Rachel Alexandra in 2009.
- Thorpedo Anna’s farewell to racing took place on October 25-26, 2025, when she was paraded at Keeneland and at Churchill Downs on consecutive days. Judy Hicks walked with her around both tracks.
Last updated: November 8, 2025