The Oaklawn racing department late Saturday morning listed eight horses under consideration for the $400,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares March 8, including reigning Horse of the Year and scheduled starter Thorpedo Anna.

Entries will be accepted and post positions drawn Sunday for the Azeri, Oaklawn’s final major prep for the $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 12. Both races are 1 1/16 miles.

Probables, according to the racing department, are Alpine Princess for trainer Brad Cox, Free Like a Girl (Chasey Deville Pomier), Jody’s Pride (Jorge Abreu), Recharge (Steve Asmussen) and Thorpedo Anna (Kenny McPeek). Hoosier Philly (Tom Amoss), Nuit Magique (D. Wayne Lukas) and Wild Bout Hilary (Tanner Tracy) are possibles.

Thorpedo Anna was a unanimous choice for North America’s champion 3-year-old filly and a runaway winner for Horse of the Year after compiling a 6-1-0 record from seven starts and earning $3,653,050. All six victories were stakes, including Oaklawn’s $750,000 Fantasy (G2) in her 3-year-old debut last March.

After the Fantasy, Thorpedo Anna raced exclusively in Grade 1 events the remainder of 2024 and secured year-end honors with victories in the $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, $500,000 Acorn at Saratoga, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga, $1 million Cotillion at Parx and the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff Nov. 2 at Del Mar in her last start. The 1 1/8-mile Distaff marked Thorpedo Anna’s first race against older horses.

Thorpedo Anna returned to the track in early January at Gulfstream Park and completed major preparations for the Azeri at Fair Grounds, where she has four published workouts since Feb. 8, including a five-furlong drill in 1:00.80 Saturday morning.

Thorpedo Anna became the sixth Oaklawn-raced female to capture Horse of the Year since the Eclipse Awards debuted in 1971.  Overall, Thorpedo Anna, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Fast Anna, has an 8-2-0 record from 10 starts and earnings of $3,843,663. Thorpedo Anna races for a partnership that includes her breeder, Judy Hicks, and McPeek’s wife, Sherri (Magdalena Racing).

Recharge and Alpine Princess finished 1-2, respectively, in the $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 25 at Sam Houston Race Park. Free Like a Girl, the leading accredited Louisiana-bred money winner in history ($2,173,438), narrowly missed her first career graded stakes victory when she finished second, beaten a head by Wild Bout Hilary, in the $250,000 Bayakoa (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 8 at Oaklawn. Jody’s Pride is a multiple stakes winner in New York.

Finish Lines

Jockey Keith Asmussen recorded a riding double Friday, pushing his career Oaklawn total to 99. Asmussen won the first race aboard favored Lear ($5.60) for his father, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, and the third race aboard Icy River ($53.80) for trainer Cameron Milligan. … Lear represented the record-extending 968^th career Oaklawn victory for Steve Asmussen. … Icy River was the second career victory for Milligan, the son of Oaklawn-based trainer Eddie Milligan Jr. Icy River is co-owned by Cameron Milligan’s older brother, Caleb Milligan. … Jockey Eduardo Gallardo escaped serious injury in Friday’s fourth race after his mount, Vanisky, stumbled at the start, unseating him.