She’s tall. She’s leggy. Honestly, she’s kind of a bully on the track, and that’s exactly why everyone is obsessed. We aren't just talking about a good filly here; Torpedo Anna has officially entered the territory of "once-in-a-decade" talent. If you’ve spent any time around the backstretch or even just scrolled through racing Twitter lately, you know her name isn't just being whispered—it’s being shouted. She didn't just win the 2024 Kentucky Oaks; she dismantled it. It was a statement.
Horse racing often gets bogged down in pedigree and breeding values that only billionaires care about, but Torpedo Anna is different. She’s a "people’s horse" despite being world-class. Bred by Judy Hicks and trained by the veteran Kenny McPeek, this daughter of Fast Anna (who sadly passed away recently) has a way of making elite competition look like they’re running in sand.
The Saratoga Showdown and the "Boy" Narrative
The real turning point for her legacy wasn't just beating up on other fillies. It was the 2024 Travers Stakes. For the uninitiated, the Travers is the "Midsummer Derby." It’s where the best three-year-old colts go to prove they aren't just one-hit wonders from the Triple Crown trail. When McPeek announced he was pointing her toward the Travers instead of the Alabama Stakes, the traditional path for fillies, the industry held its breath.
She almost did it.
Watching her duel with Fierceness—the reigning juvenile champion—down the Saratoga stretch was the kind of thing that gives you goosebumps. She lost by a neck. A tiny, agonizing neck. But in that loss, Torpedo Anna gained more respect than most horses get in a dozen wins. She proved that the gap between the best males and the best females in this crop is basically non-existent. She ran a 111 Beyer Speed Figure in that race. To put that in perspective, that's a number usually reserved for Breeders' Cup Classic winners.
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What Makes Her Physicality So Different?
If you see her in the paddock, she doesn't look like your typical dainty filly. She’s massive. She has this incredibly long stride that looks effortless until you realize she’s covering more ground per leap than almost anything else on four legs.
Kenny McPeek, who also trained the legendary Swiss Skydiver (the last filly to win the Preakness), has often noted that Anna has a "colt’s mind." She’s aggressive. She wants to be in the mix. While some horses shrink when they feel the pressure of a rival breathing down their neck, she leans into it. Her jockey, Brian Hernandez Jr., rarely has to "get after her" early because she naturally seeks out the lead or sits just off it with this predatory energy.
The stats tell a wild story:
- Kentucky Oaks (G1): Won by nearly 5 lengths on a sloppy track.
- Acorn Stakes (G1): Won by 9 1/2 lengths. It was basically a paid workout.
- Coaching Club American Oaks (G1): Another effortless victory.
- Travers Stakes (G1): Second by a neck against the best colts in the country.
She’s consistent. That’s the thing. In a sport where horses often "bounce" (run a bad race after a great one), Torpedo Anna just keeps showing up.
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The "Grit" Factor: Why the Public is Hooked
Let's be real. Horse racing needs stars. After the 2024 Triple Crown saw three different winners and no clear "superhorse" among the colts, Torpedo Anna filled the void. She has personality. She’s known for being a bit of a handful in the mornings—typical for a high-strung athlete—but she settles into a professional rhythm the moment she steps onto the dirt.
There’s also the human element. Judy Hicks, her breeder, kept a piece of her. It’s not a massive corporate conglomerate owning 100% of the horse. It feels intimate. When she wins, it feels like a win for the "little guys" of the Bluegrass, even if she is now worth tens of millions of dollars as a broodmare prospect.
Addressing the Skeptics
Naturally, there are always the "speed figure" nerds who want to poke holes. Some argued her Acorn win was a fluke because the track was favoring speed. Others said she only ran well in the Travers because the pace setup was perfect.
But you can’t argue with the eye test. When a horse wins multiple Grade 1 races in different states, on different track surfaces (wet, fast, deep), and against different levels of competition, the "fluke" argument dies a quick death. She is the real deal. The only thing she hasn't done yet is win a Breeders’ Cup Distaff, which is the ultimate goal to cement her as an all-time great.
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The Fast Anna Legacy
It’s bittersweet to talk about her sire, Fast Anna. He wasn't exactly a world-renowned "super-sire" like Into Mischief or Tapit. He was a solid, fast horse who unfortunately died at a young age before he could see his daughter conquer the racing world. In a way, Torpedo Anna is his greatest gift to the sport. She carries that speed, but she’s added a layer of stamina that nobody really expected.
How to Follow Her Career Now
If you’re just getting into racing because of her, the best thing to do is watch the replays of her 2024 campaign. Watch the Acorn. Specifically, watch the way she moves around the turn at Saratoga. Most horses have to be urged to accelerate there; she seems to do it just because she’s bored with the current tempo.
Going forward, the racing world is looking at 2025. Will she stay in training? In the modern era, many great fillies are retired early to the breeding shed because they are so valuable. However, McPeek has hinted that as long as she’s healthy and happy, she could continue to race. A four-year-old Torpedo Anna taking on the boys again in races like the Whitney or the Metropolitan Handicap? That’s the stuff dreams are made of for racing fans.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans and Bettors
If you want to keep tabs on Torpedo Anna without missing a beat, here is how you stay ahead of the curve:
- Check the Workout Tabs: Follow the Equibase or DRF workout reports for Saratoga or Churchill Downs. If she’s "breezing" in 47 seconds for a half-mile and doing it "handily," she’s ready to fire.
- Watch the Post-Race Interviews: Kenny McPeek is one of the most candid trainers in the business. He doesn't sugarcoat things. If he says she’s 100%, she usually is.
- Monitor the Beyer Speed Figures: For the bettors out there, look for her to consistently hit triple digits. If she’s running 105+ Beyers, there isn't a filly in training who can touch her, and very few colts can either.
- Set Alerts for the Breeders' Cup: This is the "Super Bowl" of racing. Ensure you have the Distaff and the Classic on your radar, depending on where her connections decide to point her.
She is a rare bird. A horse that reminds us why we watch this sport in the first place. It’s not about the gambling—though that’s fun—it’s about seeing a biological machine do something that shouldn't be possible. Torpedo Anna is that machine.
Don’t miss her next start. We might not see another one like her for a long, long time.