Fierceness holds off Thorpedo Anna to win the Travers and deny the filly’s attempt to beat the boys

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) — Fierceness held off Thorpedo Anna’s late charge to win the $1.25 million Travers Stakes on Saturday, denying the filly’s attempt to become the first female winner of the Grade 1 race in over a century at Saratoga.

Ridden by John Velazquez, Fierceness ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.79. He paid $9.80, $5.70 and $3.40. Last year’s 2-year-old champion, Fierceness was the beaten favorite in the Kentucky Derby in May.

Thorpedo Anna returned $5 and $3.20.

Sierra Leone, runner-up in the Kentucky Derby, was third as the 8-5 favorite in the field of eight and paid $2.20 to show. Belmont and Haskell winner Dornoch, co-owned by former major league outfielder Jayson Werth, was fourth.

Thorpedo Anna was trying to become the first filly to win the 155-year-old race since Lady Rotha in 1915. She was just the fifth filly to compete since 1960.

___

AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing