AMERICAN eyes will be fixed on the return of the 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna, in the Grade 2 Azeri Stakes (11.25pm) at Oaklawn Park this evening.

The champion filly, unbeaten against fillies last season including five Grade 1s, takes on six rivals with Brad Cox’s listed winner Alpine Princess next in the betting, but around 6/1 on the morning line.

At Tampa Bay, the next Kentucky Derby trial sees dual Grade 1 winner Chancer McPatrick gets step up to a two-turn distance when he returns in the $400,000 Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby (11.34pm).

Chad Brown’s Chancer McPatrick was one of the top juveniles of 2024, when he won his first three starts, including the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes and Champagne Stakes, both in New York.

But the McKinzie colt disappointed in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar, when sixth behind Citizen Bull.

He is not the only promising three-year-old in the seven-horse field, as Amo Racing’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile third Hill Road, then trained by Adrian Murray and now also with Chad Brown, is in the lineup.

The Quality Road colt was nearly 10 lengths off the pace in last leaving the second turn at Del Mar, but blew by horses edging Getaway Car for third, ahead of Chancer McPatrick in fifth.

Chancer McPatrick gives 4lb to his rivals, who also include stakes winner Owen Almighty and talented three-year-olds Brodeur and Patch Adams. Both Chancer McPatrick and Hill Road have blinkers added. Tyler Gaffalione rides Hill Road.

Santa Anita’s feature, the Grade 1 B Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile Stakes (11.43pm), sees a two-pronged Bob Baffert challenge with Chilean import Richi and Cavalieri take on Brad Cox’s Tarifa.

Tarifa has three Grade 2 wins to her name, in addition to a Grade 1 placing behind Thorpedo Anna in the 2024 Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing.