The Horse of the Year Retired-Now What?

Thorpedo Anna managed to put together a superb resume as a 3 year old in the US. Her only blemish, one that stings no matter how many pimple patches you might place on it, is her head loss to Fierceness in the Grade 1 Draftkings Travers Stakes. Those who are fans of “fillies taking on the boys” will know exactly what I am speaking about. The same people who have chills as their blood runs cold to Trevor Denman’s stretch yell in the 2010 Classic of “ZENYATTA…ZENYATTA…ZENYATTA IS FLYING, BLAME TRYING TO HOLD ON… BLAME AND ZENYATTTTTTTTAAAAAAAAA…BLLLLLAME HAS WON IT A HEAD!”

‍ ‍2010 Breeder’s Cup Classic at Churchill Downs. Blame (5) beats the undefeated mare, Zenyatta (8) by a head.

I was there that day…It envisioned it would either be victory for Zenyatta in her swan-song, 20 wins in a row, and the Twin Spires would be pulled down like the goal posts at a MAC school who just beat #1… or mass-dysphoria.

While runners like Zenyatta, Cigar, Winx, and Black Caviar are rare nowadays…Even four or five big wins in a row should be enough to get us yeeted up off the couch and head to the track. Retirement parading used to be huge, think back to when Forego and Kelso paraded at Belmont to raise awareness of after racing care for thoroughbreds. When Cigar was retired, throngs packed Madison Square Garden to see him off. Curlin had a large retirement in 2008, as did American Pharoah and Justify. This was a way for us to see our 4 hooved heroes for the last time and for their team to give thanks (and receive it).

‍ ‍ Justify parades at Churchill Downs in July, 2018 after winning the Triple Crown and prior to his retirement.

So imagine my excitement when Kenny McPeek announced that Thorpedo Anna would parade not once, but TWICE, at Keeneland and at Churchill! There was a fairly large gathering around the paddock at Keeneland to see “The Grizzly”, and more went to barn 25 that morning to get a personal experience with her. The blue and white pom-poms in her mane made an otherwise plain bay glitter with classy color. She is an elite athlete after all, not in a pageant. The weather was perfect for a late October afternoon and I followed her all around the paddock, and then scuttled to the gap back to the barns. I wanted to witness her step off the track for the last time and capture that photo.

‍ ‍ Thorpedo Anna parades at Keeneland on 10/25/2025

Sunday at Churchill was a different feeling, however. She arrived and walked multiple laps in the paddock, although she had to be held up for photos…that clearly became increasingly annoying to her. The weather was not like it was Saturday in Lexington…this was a dull, overcast sky. It was also trick or treat at the track so ghouls, unicorns, boxes of donuts, cowboys, and Pennywise the Dancing Clown milled about, playing various games and partaking in face paint and the unbridled sub-debauchery that only a 10 year old knows. At first, there were a smattering of individuals around the paddock. I think there were more photographers and guests of her team than fans at that point. In 2018, around the old Churchill paddock when Justify paraded, it was cheek to jowl the whole length of the standing area. There were a multitude of “seen and be seens” down in the center of the walking path, as well. As an amateur photog, I had to tough out patron elbows and 90℉ Louisville July humidity to see him. On this Sunday, there was no one clambering to get a view, no fan made signs wishing Anna well…If Cigar’s retirement is considered “going out with a bang”, the Grizzly’s was a whimper, at best.

‍ ‍ Thorpedo Anna parades at Churchill Downs on 10/26/2025.

I don’t know how many times over that weekend I told her “I love you, Anna”. 16 starts, 12 wins, and 2 seconds…14 of those starts were in graded stakes. The daughter by the late Fast Anna, out of “miracle mare” Sataves, won $5,440,913 on the track and a share of her sold for $1,000,000 to Hill and Dale Farm, which will be her home now. The plan is to breed Anna, who was originally purchased for $40,000 by McPeek, to Curlin, who was originally purchased for $57,000 by McPeek. With their respective careers and Curlin’s top sire status in his career, that foal could bring millions at auction. Somehow though, the “steals and deals” winning big, the “little guys” in races they don’t seem to belong, carries more sentiment. Somehow, dethroning the aristocracy is in our blood and those types of wins are always sweeter.

‍ ‍150th Kentucky Oaks winner, a $40,000 yearling, Thorpedo Anna.

After all, seeing hard working people succeed is the epitome of the American Dream, and believing that it could happen to us is why we try.