The following article was written by NESN's Colin Sheehan.
There's a massive storyline unfolding in horse racing these days.
The 2024 Travers Stakes deserves your attention this Saturday. Let's examine why.
What is the Travers Stakes?
The Travers Stakes, also known as the "Midsummer Derby," is the marquee event of the historic Saratoga summer meet. It is restricted to 3-year-old's and is run over the dirt surface at a mile and a quarter with a purse of $1.25 million.
The field often features many of the best horses from the Triple Crown season, and this year is no different, as Sierra Leone (runner-up in the Kentucky Derby), Dornoch (winner of the Belmont and Haskell Stakes) and Fierceness (Florida Derby and Jim Dandy winner) are all slated to race. Those three talented horses are joined by Honor Marie, who was a popular Derby choice (eighth in Derby; fourth in Belmont), and some new faces on the scene, including Bill Mott-trained Batten Down (first in Ohio Derby; third in Jim Dandy) and lightly raced Unmatched Wisdom, who has won all three of his starts.
What makes this year so special?
Enter: Thorpedo Anna!
Nicknamed "The Grizzly, "Thorpedo Anna is a 3-year-old filly who has dominated her competition this year, winning the Kentucky Oaks (filly version of the Kentucky Derby), the Acorn Stakes at Saratoga on Belmont Stakes weekend and the Coaching Club American Oaks -- all by at least four lengths. She started seven times and won six of those contests, leading her trainer, Kenny McPeek, to decide to run her against the boys in the Travers.
A filly taking on the boys always brings added attention, but when it's a race as big as the Travers, it's the story that's captivating the racing world. She is attempting something that hasn't been done since the filly Lady Rotha won the Travers in 1915.
With a quick search of Thorpedo Anna on X, one can easily see how her every move is being well documented. Kudos to McPeek for providing daily updates on what her next move will be. Whether it's walking around the barn, schooling in the paddock or working out on the track, each update has been an event that racing fans want to be part of.
Thorpedo Anna got her nickname, "The Grizzly," when McPeek was quoted before the Kentucky Oaks as saying, "They better bring a bear, because I am bringing a Grizzly!"
McPeek certainly hasn't been wrong. And now, we will find out if "The Grizzly" is good enough to beat the boys.
Thorpedo Anna is ridden by Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., and drawing the inside post is going to require another strong rail ride, similar to the ride he gave Mystik Dan to win the Derby.
From an Equibase speed figure standpoint, Thorpedo Anna's career-best is a 105, which puts her in company with the other top horses (who are in the 105-110 range).
The main competition
Dornoch, who is partly owned by former Major League Baseball player Jayson Werth, is the biggest threat in the race. Dornoch's coming out party involved winning this year's Belmont Stakes at Saratoga and then backing that up with another solid victory in the Haskell Stakes.
Dornoch will be the early speed and try to take the field wire to wire. Being in post position No. 7 adds some intrigue to the setup, however. In the Belmont Stakes, Dornoch won from the No. 6 hole.
To Dornoch's outside is Fierceness, the Kentucky Derby favorite who has been unable to put together back-to-back winning performances. After just winning the Jim Dandy on July 27, the question comes back around. Fierceness wants to be forwardly placed and will benefit from no one to his outside, allowing him to just sit off Dornoch.
Sierra Leone is your closer who continues to come up just short at short prices and is tough to trust as a win candidate, even though the talent is clearly there. He's certainly a horse that you can rely on to get into your trifectas, with second-place finishes in the Derby and Jim Dandy and a third-place finish in the Belmont Stakes.
Can Thorpedo Anna do it?
Horse racing could use a story like Thorpedo Anna winning such a big race. And she has an excellent chance here. I would be lying if I said I wasn't pulling for her as a fan.
A key to her success will be the Chad Brown-entered No. 3, Unmatched Wisdom, who should be putting pressure on the early speed of Dornoch and Fierceness. If the three of them get into a duel on the front end, and Thorpedo Anna is able to save ground on the rail and sit behind them as they tire, she should be in great position to pass them late.
The impressive thing about Thorpedo Anna is how confidently and comfortably she has finished her races, many times with Hernandez barely moving. That includes a race in which she lost a shoe and her last race when she had a lot of trouble leaving the gate.
Sierra Leone and Honor Marie will be the late threats closing late. Honor Marie adds blinkers and switches to highly capable jockey Tyler Gaffalione, and at 20/1 might be a better value option underneath instead of Sierra Leone.
Take a walk around the Saratoga grounds these days and the iconic moment of Rachel Alexandra winning the Woodward is all around you. This would be another iconic moment at the historic track.
I will take Thorpedo Anna to win and will also key her in exactas over Dornoch, Sierra Leone and Honor Marie. Lets go Grizzly!
Here's a look at the full field for the Travers Stakes:
1: Thorpedo Anna – Kenneth McPeek/Brian Hernandez Jr -- 3/1
2: Sierra Leone – Chad Brown/Flavien Prat -- 7/2
3: Unmatched Wisdom – Chad Brown/Irad Ortiz Jr. -- 8/1
4: Corporate Power – Claude McGaughey III/Javier Castellano -- 15/1
5: Batten Down – William Mott/Junior Alvarado -- 20/1
6: Honor Marie – D. Whitworth Beckman/Tyler Gaffalione -- 20/1
7: Dornoch – Danny Gargan/Luis Saez -- 5/2
8: Fierceness – Todd Pletcher/John Velazquez -- 3/1
