Photo:Jason Moran / Eclipse Sportswire
Fierceness returned to the work tab Thursday for the first time since his determined one-length victory over Sierra Leone in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy on July 27, posting a half-mile in company with graded stakes-winner Surprisingly in 49.59 seconds over the Saratoga main track.
“Perfect,” Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said of the work. “We originally scheduled it for tomorrow, but (the weather) looked dicey, so we went today. He did really good and seems very happy. He went with Surprisingly for a nice, steady half and was moving well. It’s what we were looking for and he did it very willingly.”
Fierceness, the reigning champion 2-year-old colt, is now likely pointing for the Travers (G1) on Aug. 24 at Saratoga after the defection of stablemate Mindframe, who has been sidelined because of bone bruising. Fierceness, by City of Light, already has two Grade 1 scores on his resume after taking the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November and Florida Derby in March.
Another Travers hopeful on Thursday’s work tab at Saratoga was three-time Grade 1-winning filly Thorpedo Anna, who covered five-eighths in 59.59 seconds over the Spa’s dirt training track.
Trainer Kenny McPeek said in a post on X, “Thorpedo Anna working this morning at Oklahoma 59.2 galloped out 1:12.1. I decided at 4:30am to work her this morning in expectation of rain from Hurricane Debby.”
Thorpedo Anna working this morning at Oklahoma 59.2 galloped out 1:12.1. I decided at 4:30am to work her this morning in expectation of rain from Hurricane Debby pic.twitter.com/WeDVyK3pJi
— Kenny McPeek (@KennyMcPeek) August 8, 2024
Thorpedo Anna will vie to become the first filly since Lady Rotha in 1915 to win the Travers. She won the Kentucky Oaks (G1) in May at Churchill Downs ahead of two top-level scores at Saratoga in the Acorn in June and Coaching Club American Oaks on July 20.
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Fierceness and Thorpedo Anna were two of 15 graded-stakes winners with published works Thursday.
Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna), a three-time Grade 1 winner (2024 Coaching Club American Oaks, 2024 Acorn, 2024 Kentucky Oaks), worked five furlongs in 59.5 seconds at Saratoga on Thursday morning. It was the fastest of four works at the distance. This was her first work since her last race. In her last start she won the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) going 1 1/8 miles on the main track at Saratoga on July 20 for trainer Kenny McPeek.
Fierceness (City of Light), a two-time Grade 1 winner (2024 Florida Derby, 2023 Breeders' Cup Juvenile), worked four furlongs in 49.5 seconds at Saratoga on Thursday morning. It was the 18th fastest of 40 works at the distance. This was his first work since his last race. In his last start he won the Jim Dandy (G2) going 1 1/8 miles on the main track at Saratoga on July 27 for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Gina Romantica (Into Mischief), a two-time Grade 1 winner (2023 First Lady, 2022 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup), worked four furlongs in 49.7 seconds at Saratoga on Thursday morning. It was the 35th fastest of 74 works at the distance. Her previous work was six days ago going four furlongs at Saratoga. In her last start she placed third in the Diana (G1) going 1 1/8 miles on the turf at Saratoga on July 13 for trainer Chad Brown.
Whitebeam (Caravaggio), a two-time Grade 1 winner (2024 Diana, 2023 Diana), worked four furlongs in 49.2 seconds at Saratoga on Thursday morning. It was the 23rd fastest of 74 works at the distance. Her previous work was six days ago going four furlongs at Saratoga. In her last start she won the Diana (G1) going 1 1/8 miles on the turf at Saratoga on July 13 for trainer Chad Brown.
Beaute Cachee (Literato), a Grade 1 winner (2024 Jenny Wiley), worked four furlongs in 50.8 seconds at Saratoga on Thursday morning. It was the 61st fastest of 74 works at the distance. Her previous work was six days ago going four furlongs at Saratoga. In her last start she won the Matchmaker (G3) going 1 1/8 miles on the turf at Monmouth Park on July 20 for trainer Chad Brown.
Bound for Nowhere (The Factor), a two-time Grade 2 winner (2021 Shakertown, 2018 Shakertown), worked five furlongs in 1:02.2 at Keeneland on Thursday morning. It was the slowest of seven works at the distance. His previous work was seven days ago going five furlongs at Keeneland. In his last start he won an allowance race going 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf at Churchill Downs on May 25 for trainer Wesley Ward.
Fluffy Socks (Slumber), a two-time Grade 2 winner (2023 Distaff Turf Mile, 2021 Sands Point), worked four furlongs in 50.0 seconds at Saratoga on Thursday morning. It was the 43rd fastest of 74 works at the distance. Her previous work was six days ago going four furlongs at Saratoga. In her last start she placed eighth in the Diana (G1) going 1 1/8 miles on the turf at Saratoga on July 13 for trainer Chad Brown.
Andthewinneris (Oscar Performance), a Grade 2 winner (2022 Bourbon), worked four furlongs in 50.0 seconds at Saratoga on Thursday morning. It was the 43rd fastest of 74 works at the distance. His previous work was six days ago going four furlongs at Saratoga. In his last start he placed sixth in an allowance race going 1 1/8 miles on the turf at Saratoga on July 20 for trainer Chad Brown.
Dynamic Pricing (Night of Thunder), a Grade 2 winner (2024 Edgewood), worked four furlongs in 49.4 seconds at Saratoga on Thursday morning. It was the 26th fastest of 74 works at the distance. Her previous work was six days ago going four furlongs at Belmont Park. In her last start she placed seventh in the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) going 1 3/16 miles on the turf at Belmont at the Big A on July 6 for trainer Chad Brown.
Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief), a Grade 2 winner (2022 Golden Rod), worked five furlongs in 1:00.2 at Saratoga on Thursday morning. It was the third fastest of 11 works at the distance. Her previous work was eight days ago going four furlongs at Saratoga. In her last start she placed seventh in the Wasted Tears going 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Lone Star Park on June 29 for trainer Tom Amoss.
Prerequisite (Upstart), a Grade 2 winner (2023 Wonder Again), worked four furlongs in 49.7 seconds at Belmont Park on Thursday morning. It was the fifth fastest of 17 works at the distance. Her previous work was six days ago going four furlongs at Belmont Park. In her last start she placed fifth in the Lake Placid (G2) going 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Saratoga on Aug. 19 for trainer Chad Brown.
Tiny Temper (Arrogate), a Grade 2 winner (2024 Azeri), worked four furlongs in 47.8 seconds at Churchill Downs on Thursday morning. It was the second fastest of 32 works at the distance. Her previous work was seven days ago going three furlongs at Churchill Downs. In her last start she won the Azeri (G2) going 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Oaklawn on March 9 for trainer Dallas Stewart.
Delahaye (Medaglia d'Oro), a Grade 3 winner (2024 Old Forester Mint Julep), worked four furlongs in 50.0 seconds at Saratoga on Thursday morning. It was the 43rd fastest of 74 works at the distance. Her previous work was six days ago going four furlongs at Saratoga. In her last start she placed third in the Matchmaker (G3) going 1 1/8 miles on the turf at Monmouth Park on July 20 for trainer Chad Brown.
Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro), a Grade 3 winner (2022 Kitten's Joy), worked four furlongs in 49.2 seconds at Saratoga on Thursday morning. It was the 16th fastest of 40 works at the distance. This was his first work since his last race. In his last start he placed second in the United Nations (G2) going 1 3/8 miles on the turf at Monmouth Park on July 20 for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Surprisingly (Mastery), a Grade 3 winner (2023 Endeavour), worked four furlongs in 49.5 seconds at Saratoga on Thursday morning. It was the 18th fastest of 40 works at the distance. This was her first work since her last race. In her last start she placed fourth in the Matchmaker (G3) going 1 1/8 miles on the turf at Monmouth Park on July 20 for trainer Todd Pletcher.
