Thorpedo Anna looks to bounce back in Fleur de Lis

Reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna will look to put a shocking defeat in last month's La Troienne S. (G1) behind her on Saturday in the $500,000 Fleur de Lis S. (G2) at Churchill Downs.

A winner in 10 of 12 starts going into the La Troienne, Thorpedo Anna was roughed up going into the first turn, and though she remained within striking range until the stretch, came up empty and wound up trailing the field of seven. It was the first time the champion had finished worse than second.

The 1 1/8-mile Fleur de Lis is a Breeders' Challenge series race, which offers the winner an automatic entry into the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Del Mar. Thorpedo Anna won the Distaff last November as a 2-5 favorite.

Bettors looking to stand against the champion again may gravitate toward Royal Spa or Gin Gin, the recent one-two finishers in the Shawnee S. (G3). The relatively win-shy Taxed arguably merits less appeal, despite her second-place run in the La Troienne.

The $500,000 Wise Dan S. (G2), for older horses at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, features a rematch between Mercante and Brilliant Berti, who were separated by a neck in the course-and-distance Arlington S. (G3) on May 31.

Fort Washington enters off back-to-back wins in the Canadian Turf S. (G3) and Dinner Party S. (G3), while Mi Hermano Ramon ships in from California off a narrow loss in the Shoemaker Mile S. (G1). Taking Candy, who landed the Fair Grounds (G3) in mid-February, is better than what he showed when finishing a troubled 10th in the Turf Classic S. (G1) on Kentucky Derby Day.

Booth rides a four-stakes win streak into the $250,000 Kelly's Landing S. (G3), a 6 1/2-furlong dash for older horses. The son of Mitole will be a strong favorite to add the Kelly's Landing to recent Grade 3 triumphs in the Whitmore, Count Fleet Sprint H., and Maryland Sprint.

Dr. Venkman and Roll On Big Joe, both graded stakes winners on the Southern California circuit, appear to be the leading chances to topple Booth.

Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Tiztastic returns to the grass in the $250,000 American Derby over 1 1/16 miles. Tenth in the Kentucky Derby (G1) when last seen, the Steve Asmussen trainee won twice in the span of 11 days over the Kentucky Downs turf last fall, including the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile.

Another Derby alumnus, Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) runner-up Flying Mohawk, is a two-time winner on the grass, while Reagan's Wit and Freedom's Not Free enter off stakes wins at Pimlico and Santa Anita, respectively.

The absence of division stalwart Nitrogen will be welcome news to the three-year-old fillies entered in the $250,000 Tepin S. over one mile on the turf. Lush Lips and Grade 3 winner Vixen were no match for Nitrogen in several showdowns during the spring, but on paper, they possess a class edge over their Tepin rivals.