Swiss Skydiver, Others Breeze in Advance of Preakness

Peter Callahan's Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) runner-up Swiss Skydiver is bound for the Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course following a five-furlong workout in 1:00 4/5 Sept. 26 at Churchill Downs, according to trainer Kenny McPeek.

She was one of several leading 3-year-olds to work at Churchill Downs Saturday toward a start in the 1 3/16-mile race, which will be the final jewel of the Triple Crown this year after COVID-19 scheduling changes. Also breezing Saturday was Bruce Lunsford's Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) winner Art Collector and Albaugh Family Stables and Spendthrift Farm's multiple graded stakes winner Thousand Words.

Daily Racing Form's Marty McGee first reported that McPeek had committed Swiss Skydiver to the race. The trainer had been weighing whether to run her there or alternatively a stakes race at Keeneland.

McPeek confirmed in a Saturday afternoon text message to BloodHorse that she would run in the Preakness, while noting, "Making arrangements. Some details pending."

Swiss Skydiver will seek to become just the sixth female to win the classic. Rachel Alexandra was the last filly to win the Preakness during her Horse of the Year campaign in 2009.

Fillies are afforded a weight break under the race conditions. They carry 123 pounds, three less than males.

Also at Churchill, Art Collector, with Brian Hernandez Jr. in the saddle for trainer Tommy Drury, worked a half-mile in :48 while the Bob Baffert-trained Thousand Words breezed five furlongs in 1:00 3/5 under Florent Geroux. 

Art Collector, a 3-year-old son of Bernardini , worked through fractions of :12 2/5, :24 2/5, and :35 4/5. The five-time winner galloped out six furlongs in 1:13 3/5.

"He amazes you every time he goes out there," said Hernandez. "He just does everything so easy. He knows his job. Again this morning, he got under the wire and jumped up and took off again. He knows what the pattern has been with him and he’s gotten into the routine and does his own thing out there."

Art Collector was scheduled to run in the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) but was withdrawn on the morning of entries with a minor foot issue, caused when he nicked the bulb of his left front heel in a routine gallop. 

Thousand Words, scratched from the Kentucky Derby after he flipped in the paddock, worked with blinkers on through fractions of :11 4/5, :24 2/5, and :48 1/5. He completed his work with a six-furlong gallop out time of 1:13 3/5.

His breeze was much faster than a Sept. 19 drill in which he went five furlongs in 1:02 2/5.

"I thought he worked a lot better today with blinkers," Geroux said. "Last week was his first work over the track so he didn't wear them but went very easy. It was a bit more of a serious work today."

The son of Pioneerof the Nile raced without blinkers in two starts this summer after wearing them for racing during the winter and spring. Baffert said he has not decided whether Thousand Words will wear blinkers if he goes in the Preakness.

The Hall of Fame trainer is aiming for his record-breaking eighth victory in the Preakness with Thousand Words and Authentic, winner of the Kentucky Derby. Authentic is scheduled for his final pre-Preakness work Sept. 28, but Baffert said that he might move the breeze ahead to Sept. 27 because there is rain in the Louisville forecast.

Thousand Words and Authentic have resided in the barn of trainer D. Wayne Lukas for much of the past few weeks after Baffert sent most of his Churchill stable of horses back to his regular base at Santa Anita Park.

Seven 3-year-olds considered potential Preakness starters currently are at Churchill Downs before they fly to Baltimore Sept. 29. They are (with trainer): Art Collector (Drury), Authentic (Baffert), Excession (Steve Asmussen), Max Player (Asmussen), Mr. Big News (Bret Calhoun), Swiss Skydiver (McPeek), and Thousand Words (Baffert).

Horses stabled elsewhere under active consideration for the race include Country Grammer (Chad Brown), Jesus' Team (Jose D'Angelo), Liveyourbeastlife (Jorge Abreu), Ny Traffic (Saffie Joseph Jr.), and Pneumatic (Asmussen).

Brown said Paul Pompa Jr.'s Country Grammer will be running in the Preakness following a half-mile breeze in :50.25 Saturday at Belmont Park,

Country Grammer won the Peter Pan Stakes (G3) on the opening day of the Saratoga Race Course meet but then finished fifth in the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) in his last start.

"He probably bounced in the Travers and needed more time between races. He's had rest and is breezing as well as he has all year. The owner, Paul Pompa, was keen to take a shot with no other options and I don't disagree," Brown said. "We always thought he was a horse who would run a mile-and-an-eighth to a mile-and-a-quarter and there aren't many other opportunities left."

Also Saturday, Liveyourbeastlife went six furlongs at Belmont Park in 1:16 1/5, and Jesus' Team went five furlongs in 1:03 2/5 at Monmouth Park.