2025 Personal Ensign Stakes Entries at Saratoga

Personal Ensign offers a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff

While just two of reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna's 11 wins have come at Saratoga Race Course, the daughter of Fast Anna has become almost synonymous with the Spa as she trains here for much of the year.

The now 4-year-old will make her much-anticipated return to Saratoga in the afternoon on Saturday when taking on a robust group of challengers in the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign, a nine-furlong route for older fillies and mares.

The Personal Ensign offers a "Win and You're In" berth into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff on November 1 at Del Mar.

The Ensign [Race 9] is one of six graded events slated for Saturday's lucrative 14-race card, headlined by the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes in Race 13.

The card will also feature three Grade 1, $500,000 seven-furlong sprints in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial [Race 10], the Ballerina Stakes [Race 11; a "Win and You're In" for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint] and the Forego Stakes [Race 12, a "Win and You're In" for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile], along with the Grade 2, $400,000 Lake Placid in Race 7.

First post is 11:10 a.m. Eastern with gates opening to the public at 9 a.m.

Thorpedo Anna, whose ownership group now includes Hill 'n' Dale Farm in addition to Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks and Magdalena Racing, makes her fifth start this year for trainer Ken McPeek, entering off a three-length score in Churchill Downs' nine-furlong Grade 2 Fleur de Lis on June 28. The effort was a rebound performance after a dismal and uncharacteristic seventh-place finish to returning rival Raging Sea in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 1 La Troienne in May over the Louisville oval.

"It was good," McPeek said of the Fleur de Lis. "I think the race on Derby week was just a bit of what could go wrong did go wrong, but she's locked and loaded for this weekend."

The Fast Anna dark bay kicked her season off in style with wins at Oaklawn Park in the Grade 2 Azeri and Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap in March and April, respectively, picking up where she left off when taking the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff in November at Del Mar to cap a remarkable sophomore campaign.

The six-win season was highlighted by a four-race win streak comprised of the Grade 2 Fantasy at Oaklawn, and Grade 1 coups in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill and the DK Acorn and Coaching Club American Oaks at the Spa. With all female challengers defeated with ease, Thorpedo Anna was tested against male rivals as a rare filly in the Grade 1 DraftKings Travers, where she finished just a head behind 2023 Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Fierceness in a memorable showdown at the Spa.

McPeek said he has seen more of the same impressive energy from Thorpedo Anna as she prepares for her return to the Spa.

"She's ultra-consistent. She loves her work, she's very happy in Saratoga, and has been for a long time," McPeek said. "As always, she's been a pleasure to be around. She's doing great."

She went on to win the Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx Racing ahead of the Breeders' Cup, where her 2 1/2-length win over Raging Sea cemented not just Champion 3-Year-Old Filly honors, but Horse of the Year as well, the first filly or mare to be given the honor since Havre de Grace in 2011.

McPeek summarized his filly's chances on Saturday with the famous line he first said last year ahead of the Kentucky Oaks: "They better bring a bear, because I'm bringing a grizzly."

Brian Hernandez, Jr., aboard for each of Thorpedo Anna's 14 starts, returns to the irons from post 7.

Thorpedo Anna will face a rematch with Alpha Delta Stables' Kentucky homebred Raging Sea [post 3, Flavien Prat], one of two contenders for five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown as he also sends out Klaravich Stables' multiple Grade 1-winner Randomized [post 1, Manny Franco].

Raging Sea, a dual Grade 1-winner in her own right, looks to rebound from a pair of distant third-place finishes, most recently in the Grade 2 Shuvee on July 18 when making a mild bid to pass tiring horses in the stretch and landing 13 1/2 lengths back of returning rival Leslie's Rose.

"It's been disappointing - she started off the year terrific in the La Troienne, and her last two starts have been disappointing, so I'm hoping she can get back on track," Brown said. "Thorpedo Anna is a tough customer, and either of my horses are going to have to run a really top race to beat her."

Raging Sea won this event last year by a head over Champion Older Mare Idiomatic, her first top-level score after placings as a juvenile in the Alcibiades and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Her stellar 4-year-old campaign also included wins in Keeneland's Grade 3 Doubledogdare, the Grade 2 Shuvee here and the Grade 2 Beldame at Belmont at the Big A en route to her game runner-up effort to Thorpedo Anna at the Breeders' Cup.

This year, the chestnut mare returned with aplomb when taking the aforementioned La Troienne in off-the-pace fashion, storming to the lead in mid-stretch and fending off the late rush of Taxed by three-quarter lengths, with Randomized a head behind in third. She followed with a closing third when bumped and squeezed at the start of the nine-furlong Grade 1 Ogden Phipps presented by Ford on June 6 here, won by the reopposing Dorth Vader over sloppy and sealed footing.

Raging Sea boasts a consistent 16-8-2-3 record with over $2.2 million in total purse earnings. She is out of the unraced Storm Cat mare Stormy Welcome, who also produced dual stakes-placed Welcoming. Raging Sea's second dam is Welcome Surprise, a half-sister to breed-shaping stallion A.P. Indy and multiple Grade 1-winner Summer Squall.

Randomized returned to her best form last out with a three-length score in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher on July 19 at Monmouth Park, setting a pressured pace under Flavien Prat before opening up at the top of the stretch and powering home strongly with her ears pricked at the wire. The effort was awarded a 98 Beyer Speed Figure, her best figure since earning a 99 for her head win in last year's Grade 1 Ogden Phipps over Idiomatic.

"Her getting back in form [was important] - I was worried there momentarily that she maybe had enough at age five, but she's really picked it up and she came back and trained well," Brown said.

The win at Monmouth came after a distant fifth in this year's Ogden Phipps where she was close to the pace through the first quarter-mile but lost position and faded through the latter stages. She returned from a more than eight-month respite in the La Troienne where she set the pace and was caught late by Raging Sea and Taxed.

A six-time winner from 13 starts, Randomized notched her first graded win in the Grade 1 Alabama as a sophomore here, and went on to win the Grade 2 Beldame at Belmont at the Big A ahead of a narrow loss to Idiomatic in the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Santa Anita Park. She has banked over $1.7 million in earnings.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher sends out Whisper Hill Farm's Grade 1-winner Leslie's Rose [post 6, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], who also enjoyed a reversal of form with a 3 3/4-length victory in the Grade 2 Shuvee.

The daughter of Into Mischief looks to add a second Grade 1 to her resume after winning the Ashland last April at Keeneland. Since then, she finished off-the-board in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks over a sloppy and sealed surface before a runner-up effort to Thorpedo Anna in the Acorn, and a distant last-of-4 behind her familiar foe in the CCA Oaks.

The bay filly was then away from the races until a neck third in the Grade 3 Vagrancy in May at Belmont at the Big A, but faltered in the Ogden Phipps where she faced sloppy and sealed conditions for the first time since the Oaks and was eased in the stretch.

"Unfortunately she didn't fire that day on an off racetrack, so she doesn't care for off conditions," Pletcher said. "Aside from that, she's remarkably consistent and is doing very well."

Leslie's Rose, a $1.15 million purchase at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the Galileo mare Wildwood Rose, a half-sister to Grade 1-winner Materiality and Grade 2-winner My Miss Sophia. She has banked $743,800 through a 10-4-1-2 record.

"Her resume is awfully strong to begin with, but another Grade 1 would be terrific," Pletcher said.

The competitive field will also include the winner and runner-up of this year's Ogden Phipps in John Ropes' Florida homebred Dorth Vader [post 4, John Velazquez] for trainer George Weaver and Miller Racing's Dazzling Move [post 2, Jose Ortiz] for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.

Dorth Vader notched her first top-level victory with a 4 3/4-length romp in the Phipps, her best prior finish at that level a head second to Pretty Mischievous in the Acorn around one turn in 2023 at Belmont Park. She exited the Phipps to finish a pace-pressing fourth in the Molly Pitcher 3 1/2 lengths back of Randomized.

Dazzling Move set the pace in the Phipps and was collared by Dorth Vader in the lane before keeping on willingly to hold place honors. She enters from a similar pacesetting second to Leslie's Rose in the Shuvee, finishing 3 3/4 lengths back in her third attempt at Saturday's distance. She landed her lone graded score in the Grade 3 Royal Delta in February at Gulfstream in her first start for Joseph, Jr.

Rounding out the field is Robert Rosenthal and Bradford Bernstein's New York homebred Bernietakescharge [post 5, Romero Maragh], who is cross-entered in Friday's state-bred Yaddo presented by STIHL on turf. Trained by Domenick Schettino, the 4-year-old Take Charge Indy dark bay is 3-for-4 this year, led by dirt stakes wins in the one-mile Heavenly Prize Invitational in February at Aqueduct Racetrack and the state-bred Critical Eye last out on June 4 over course and distance.

Thorpedo Anna turns in final breeze for G1 Personal Ensign

August 16 - Reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna turned in her final work in preparation for next the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign, covering a half-mile in 48.28 seconds on Saturday, August 23 over Saratoga Race Course's Oklahoma training track with Luis Rivera, Jr. in the irons.

The Personal Ensign offers a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar.

"I thought it was brilliant, perfect," trainer Ken McPeek said. "I told him to go 48 and change and she looked happy as ever."

Thorpedo Anna, whose ownership group now includes Hill 'n' Dale Farm in addition to Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks and Magdalena Racing, enters the Personal Ensign from a win in Churchill Downs' Grade 2 Fleur de Lis on June 28.

The daughter of Fast Anna returns to the scene of Grade 1 wins in the DK Horse Acorn and Coaching Club American Oaks last year ahead of a head second to Fierceness in the Grade 1 DraftKings Travers. She completed the year with Grade 1 wins in the Cotillion at Parx Racing and the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar, concluding a campaign that was awarded Horse of the Year and Champion 3-Year-Old Filly honors.

Bred by Judy Hicks, Thorpedo Anna is out of the unraced Uncle Mo mare Sataves, whose sophomore colt McAfee is expected to run in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes on Saturday, August 23.

Thorpedo Anna works at Saratoga

August 10 - Reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna continued her preparations for the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign on August 23 as NYRA clockers caught her breezing five-eighths in 1:02 flat to the inside of Midnight Concerto on Sunday over Saratoga Race Course's Oklahoma dirt training track.

The pair of Ken McPeek trainees stepped onto the track after the 7:00 renovation break, with Luis Rivera, Jr. atop Thorpedo Anna and Danny Ramsey on Midnight Concerto. The two came through the lane with Thorpedo Anna holding a short advantage on the inside before Midnight Concerto put her neck in front passing the wire and provided her stablemate with a challenge, which is what McPeek said he was looking for in the work.

"It didn't unfold like we had hoped - the workmate was supposed to be closer to them, but she got the competition to the wire, which is what we wanted," McPeek said. "She's done real good here. On the truck up here earlier in the season, she came up on a really hot day and she got a little overheated on the truck, so we gave her a little extra time before we put her in the tack."

Thorpedo Anna looks to add to an impressive 14-11-2-0 record that includes a sophomore campaign that featured Grade 1 wins last year in the DK Horse Acorn and Coaching Club American Oaks, along with top-flight scores in the Kentucky Oaks and Cotillion ahead of a win in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff. Her stellar campaign, which also saw her finish a head second to Fierceness in the Grade 1 DraftKings Travers here, was enough to award her the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year and Champion 3-Year-Old Filly.

This year, the 4-year-old Fast Anna filly won the Grade 2 Azeri and Grade 1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park en route to an uncharacteristic seventh in the Grade 1 La Troienne, but she rebounded with aplomb last out to take the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis on June 28 at Churchill Downs.

McPeek said Thorpedo Anna remains a star at his Saratoga barn, where she greets visitors and fans almost daily.

"She loves being up here. She likes the walk out [to the track] and back up. She's always bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. We tend to spoil them, and we let people spoil them," McPeek said. "She's got tons of people that adore her and I get calls from people every day who want to see her, 'can we touch her, pet her, see her?' Yeah, sure."

A winner of over $5 million in purse money, Thorpedo Anna is campaigned by Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, breeder Judy Hicks, and Sherri McPeek's Magdalena Farm.

McPeek provided an update on Grade 1 Kentucky Derby-winner Mystik Dan, who finished fourth in Saturday's Grade 1 Arlington Million at Colonial Downs where he made his first start on grass. There, he stalked the pace in second under regular pilot Brian Hernandez, Jr. and was in a four-way scramble for the lead at the top of the lane, but flattened out and settled for fourth 3 1/2 lengths back of the victorious Fort Washington.

"I think he ran respectable if you like being fourth, but of course, we wanted to run a little bit better than that," McPeek said. "He's been a really good horse and I think he's overachieved all his life. I think it was worth a try and you don't know unless you really put them out there and try them. It looked like at the head of the lane he was going to win, and he had some good horses get past him."

McPeek said he is unsure what the immediate plans are for the son of Goldencents as he maps out a path to the Breeders' Cup in November at Del Mar.

"We learned something, and I don't think there was any shame in the effort. The hard part now is we've got to figure out where he fits. We've got to figure out where to get him into the Breeders' Cup - is he for the Classic, the Dirt Mile, the Mile? It gives us some options. He came out of the race in good order. I might send him back to Churchill. I'll look at the schedule and see if I can make a decision on his next start before I move him [from Colonial]."

James Ball, Magdalena Racing and Kenneth Rhodes' Take Charge Milady breezed yesterday at Saratoga with an eye to the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales on Saturday at the Spa, but McPeek said the daughter of Take Charge Indy will not be entered as he was not satisfied with the way she emerged from the work.

"I think I'm going to give her a break," McPeek said. "Yesterday's work was OK, but there were some post-workout issues. She didn't eat up good and I'm not going to run her. She's gone all winter, spring and summer, [so] we're going to pull the plug on her and point her to a winter campaign."

Take Charge Milady was second to La Cara in the Grade 1 Ashland in April at Keeneland ahead of an off-the-board finish in the Kentucky Oaks, but she rebounded two starts back with a win over Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Immersive in the Monomoy Girl in June at Churchill. She was last seen finishing a distant last-of-4 in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 19 here.

OffTrackBetting.com - US Legal Saratoga horse wagering online is a great way to wager on horse racing at Saratoga Race Course in New York. Available to customers across the United States, OTB features both Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing from major racing venues in the US as well as top international racing from Europe, Italy, Japan, Australia and Hong Kong.