Swiss Skydiver Makes Short Work of Santa Anita Oaks
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Swiss Skydiver wins the Santa Anita Oaks at Santa Anita Park
Peter Callahan's Swiss Skydiver made short work of a short field June 6 in the $196,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G2), further cementing her status as a leading contender for the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1).
Toying with three rivals, the 3-year-old Daredevil filly drew off to a four-length win after leading throughout in the 1 1/16-mile test.
Swiss Skydiver was well within herself while posting fractions of :22.92 and :46.55 and galloped along with her ears pricked under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith while Merneith tracked along a length back to her outside. She clicked through three-quarters in 1:10.82 as if on cruise control and opened up by three after hitting the head of the lane with plenty left to give.
While 2-1 second choice Speech made a game closing effort through a 1:36.65 mile, she was no match for the winner. The Ken McPeek trainee strode beneath the wire under a hand ride after being kept to the task in the final furlongs with a few taps of the stick.
"When a horse puts their ears forward like that, that means there usually is something left in the tank," said Smith, who was aboard Swiss Skydiver for the first time Saturday in her maiden voyage to the West Coast. "They are kind of taking a breather, looking at things. When I tightened the reins up, she really accelerated. I kept busy until the eighth pole, and, really, she was on cruise control after that.
"She's an extremely talented filly."
The final time was 1:43.20 on a fast track. Sent off as the 3-5 favorite, Swiss Skydiver returned $3.20 and $2.10, with no show wagering. Speech was second, and Merneith held for third. Regal Beauty came in fourth after trailing throughout. Smiling Shirlee was scratched.
Kentucky Oaks points weren't an issue for Swiss Skydiver going into the race, but now she has them in spades. The chestnut filly picked up 100 points and sits atop the leaderboard with 310. Her closest competitor, Bonny South, has 100. Swiss Skydiver was a recent $3,000 late nomination to the Triple Crown series, with McPeek keeping the door open for top races in open company down the road.
Swiss Skydiver cruises to the wire in the Santa Anita Oaks
A handy winner of the March 28 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), the filly came in off a 2 1/2-length score in the May 1 Fantasy Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park.
"She's good—just keeps getting better, too," said McPeek, who flew in from his Churchill Downs base Friday. "I was reluctant to bring her. We thought maybe we ought to wait for the Ashland (Stakes, G1, at Keeneland), with a short field and everything. She's easy to be around. She loves to run.
"They asked me to bring her vet records, (and) I said, 'There aren't any!'"
Swiss Skydiver earned high praise from Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who conditions Merneith and Regal Beauty.
"That filly is a super filly," he said. "I was hoping for an easy lead, but we couldn't get the lead. Mike Smith is so good from the 1 hole. He got the jump on us, and that was it."
McPeek bought Swiss Skydiver for $35,000 from Select Sales' consignment at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She improved her record to 4-1-1 from seven starts and her earnings to $557,980. Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, she is the first graded stakes winner for her dam, the Johannesburg mare Expo Gold, and is the mare's second black-type runner from four starters, all winners. Expo Gold foaled a Daredevil colt in 2018 that sold for $4,000 to Southern Racing when consigned by Bluewater Sales to the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, and she produced a Danzing Candy colt in 2019. She was bred back to Danzing Candy for 2020.