Ken McPeek | Horse Racing Free Tips

Swiss Skydiver Doesn’t ‘Miss’ A Beat In Beholder Mile

After a disappointing effort when last seen in the Nov. 7 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil)returned to the brilliant form that earned her an Eclipse Award last season with a good-looking score in her seasonal bow Saturday at Santa Anita in the GI Beholder Mile. It was her second win from as many starts in Arcadia, having captured last term's GII Santa Anita Oaks.

Away in good order from her rail draw, the 7-5 chalk secured a comfortable position ina ground-saving fourth as Golden Principal (Constitution) hustled up to take control with Harvest Moon (Uncle Mo) keeping her honest in second through a :23.14 opening quarter. Inching up inside of Harvest Moon as the half-mile went in :46.80, the chestnut patiently awaited racing room on the backstretch run and split the top two to make a race of it turning for home. Pouncing on Golden Principal in early stretch, Swiss Skydiver “waved goodbye,” as announcer Frank Mirahmadi said, powering clear under a hand ride from Robby Albarado to win as she pleased by 2 3/4 lengths. The regally bred As Time Goes By (American Pharoah–Take Charge Lady) took the overland route to be second and her pacesetting stablemate Golden Principal held third.

“Pretty much up the backside, every point I felt like she was right there with me the whole way,” Albarado said. “She was taking deep breaths around there. When I finally gave her some room there she took off. It was all her, I was just a passenger…I look forward for the rest of the year with her.”
“Yes, she met expectations, but you never know,” said trainer Ken McPeek, who has been at Santa Anita since Swiss Skydiver shipped in from her Gulfstream Park base Tuesday. “The distance for me was a little bit of a worry because of the run to the first turn. But Robby does know her so well, to get her in :12s, just get her into a nice rhythm and let her make her run. You can't force anything with her, and if you go too fast early, she will wilt a little bit.”

Swiss Skydiver's won five of her 10 starts in her Eclipse-winning sophomore season, all at different racetracks. Her first victory of the season came in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks last March and followed suit with a win in Oaklawn's GIII Fantasy S. in May. Wiring the Santa Anita Oaks last June, the $35,000 KEESEP buy took on males for the first time in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. in July and finished a respectable second to Art Collector (Bernardini).

Cruising home to a clear-cut victory in Saratoga's prestigious GI Alabama S. last August, Swiss Skydiver checked in second to Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) in the GI Kentucky Oaks Sept. 4. Trainer Kenny McPeek was confident enough to send his star filly on to the GI Preakness S. Oct. 3 and she rewarded his and owner Peter Callahan's faith with a gritty score of GI Kentucky Derby winner and now Horse of the Year Authentic (Into Mischief). Installed as the second choice in the Distaff at Keeneland, Swiss Skydiver stumbled at the start and never really got into the race, finishing seventh to two-time champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar).

Pedigree Notes:

Swiss Skydiver completed a cross-country graded double for her young sire Daredevil, following Shedaresthedevil's win in the GII Azeri S. at Oaklawn. Those two fillies from the new Lane's End sire's first crop are his only two Grade I/graded winners thus far and are two of five black-type winners for the stallion, who recently returned to Kentucky after spending a year in Turkey. Swiss Skydiver is also one of 20 graded victors and 45 black-type scorers out of a daughter of Johannesburg.

The winner's dam Expo Gold brought just $13,000 from Los Santos Customs her first time through the Keeneland November ring in 2017, carrying Swiss Skydiver's full-brother. The resulting colt, the now 3-year-old Inspector General, fetched just $4,000 from Southern Racing at Keeneland September the following year. Expo Gold's next auction appearance was at the 2019 CTBA January Mixed Sale, selling to Blue Chip Thoroughbreds for $15,000 in foal to Danzing Candy. She produced that colt the following April and failed to get back in foal to that California stallion. The 13-year-old mare returned to the Keeneland November ring last term, but this time she summoned $950,000 from Hunter Valley Farm, while carrying a foal from the first crop of GI Travers S. winner Catholic Boy. Two of her daughters sold at the same auction with her first foal Is It Gold (Indygo Shiner) bringing $230,000 from Titletown Racing Stables in foal to Nyquist; and her 2016 foal Miss Hot Legs (Verrazano) hammering for $500,000 to Coteau Grove Farms.

Saturday, Santa Anita
BEHOLDER MILE S.-GI, $301,000, Santa Anita, 3-13, 4yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:36.18, ft.
1–SWISS SKYDIVER, 124, f, 4, by Daredevil
                1st Dam: Expo Gold, by Johannesburg
                2nd Dam: Clouds of Gold, by Strike the Gold
                3rd Dam: Cloudy Colors, by Personal Flag
($35,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Peter J. Callahan; B-WinStar Farm,
LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Robby Albarado. $180,000.
Lifetime Record: Ch. 3yo Filly, 13-7-3-1, $2,025,480. *1/2 to
Miss Hot Legs (Verrazano), SP, $151,620. Werk Nick Rating: A.
   Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–As Time Goes By, 120, f, 4, by American Pharoah
                1st Dam: Take Charge Lady (Broodmare Of The Year,
                                MGISW, $2,480,377), by Dehere
                2nd Dam: Felicita, by Rubiano
                3rd Dam: Grand Bonheur, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
O-Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier & Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale
& Chelston (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $60,000.
3–Golden Principal, 120, f, 4, by Constitution
                1st Dam: Gold D' Medaglia, by Medaglia d'Oro
                2nd Dam: Lemon Twist, by Seeking the Gold
                3rd Dam: Danzig Island, by Danzig
($35,000 RNA Ylg '18 KEESEP; $200,000 2yo '19 OBSAPR).
O-Karl Watson, Michael Pegram & Paul Weitman; B-CESA Farm
(FL); T-Bob Baffert. $36,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, 1 3/4, 2HF. Odds: 1.40, 1.90, 7.20.
Also Ran: Harvest Moon, This Tea, Clockstrikestwelve, Miss Stormy D. Scratched: Sanenus (Chi).
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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McPeek Hoping For Repeat Of ‘Magical Season’ With Swiss Skydiver

Swiss Skydiver, Eclipse Award champion three-year-old filly of 2020, makes her four-year-old debut Saturday at Santa Anita in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile

Owned by Peter Callahan and bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, the daughter of Daredevil upset Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year Authentic at 11-1 in last year's Preakness Stakes before an eventful seventh in the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland last Nov. 7, her most recent race.

“There were limited options where we are,” trainer Ken McPeek said in explaining a coast-to-coast trip from Florida to start her campaign.

“There really wasn't an older filly and mare stake in Florida and I've got my other filly, Envoutante, at Oaklawn (for Saturday's Grade 2 Azeri Stakes). I didn't want to run against each other.”

Envoutante, handy six-length winner of the Grade 2 Falls City at Churchill Downs in her most recent start last Nov. 26, also was nominated to the Beholder. Like Swiss Skydiver in the Beholder, Envoutante (“bewitching” in English) also drew the rail in the Azeri, where she is 5-2 on the morning line vs. four rivals.

“Obviously the Beholder is a great race and I think Swiss Skydiver is capable of running a flat mile,” McPeek said. “She's really sharp now, so that's good, and the timing works out well.”

Robby Albarado, who piloted Swiss Skydiver to her Preakness victory, arrived in California Tuesday to ride the chestnut filly in the Beholder, while McPeek got in town Thursday. Swiss Skydiver arrived Tuesday night.

With an Eclipse Award, two Grade I victories including the Alabama Stakes along with the Preakness, a four-length romp in the Santa Anita Oaks and five graded stakes wins on her resume last year, Swiss Skydiver exceeded McPeek's expectations.

“In her first stakes race last year (fifth in a restricted outing at Tampa Bay Downs Jan. 18) she kind of had a troubled trip (going five-wide and floating out while beaten less than a length at seven furlongs), but since then she rolled on.

“It was unfortunate she stumbled (at the start) in the Breeders' Cup (finishing seventh behind Older Dirt Female champion Monomoy Girl) and cut her leg up pretty good.

“But she bounced back from that. It was a magical season for the most part.

“Hopefully, we can come half that close this year.”

The Beholder, race eight of nine with a 12:30 p.m. first post time: Swiss Skydiver, Robby Albarado, 8-5; Golden Principal, Juan Hernandez, 8-1; Harvest Moon, Flavien Prat, 5-2; Sanenus, Umberto Rispoli, 4-1; Miss Stormy D, Tyler Baze, 20-1; As Time Goes By, Mike Smith, 4-1; This Tea, Abel Cedillo, 30-1; and Clockstrikestwelve, Tiago Pereira, 20-1.

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Swiss Skydiver Returns to Arcadia for Beholder Mile

Champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) crushed her competition on her last trip to the west coast for the GII Santa Anita Oaks last spring and looks to repeat that performance Saturday when she returns to Santa Anita for the GI Beholder Mile. Capturing the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks and GIII Fantasy S. prior to the Santa Anita Oaks last term, the chestnut took on males next out in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. July 11, finishing a respectable second to Art Collector (Bernardini). Returning to winning ways next out in Saratoga's 10-panel GI Alabama S. Aug. 15, the $35,000 KEESEP buy checked in second to GII Azeri S.-bound Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) in the GI Kentucky Oaks Sept. 4.

Trainer Ken McPeek felt confident enough in his charge to try her against males again in the GI Preakness S. Oct. 3 and she delivered with a gritty defeat of GI Kentucky Derby hero and eventual Horse of the Year Authentic (Into Mischief). Swiss Skydiver completed 2020 with a disappointing and surprising seventh behind two-time champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland Nov. 7, but had already done more than enough to secure the Eclipse for top 3-year-old filly. She has been working well leading up to this seasonal bow, most recently breezing a best-of-39 five panels in :58 flat at Gulfstream Mar. 6.

Her biggest competition is likely to come from MGSW Harvest Moon (Uncle Mo). Graduating at second asking when switched to the dirt in July, she scored a decisive optional claimer victory next out at Del Mar three weeks later and captured the GIII Torrey Pines S. there in August. Winning the GII Zenyatta S. at Santa Anita Sept. 27, the bay checked in fourth last out in the Distaff.

Bob Baffert saddles two in this event in As Time Goes By (American Pharoah) and Golden Principal (Constitution). Out of MGISW and blue hen Take Charge Lady (Dehere), As Time Goes By graduated at third asking going six furlongs at Los Alamitos Dec. 13 and romped by nine lengths next out over track and trip Jan. 17. Capturing a Del Mar optional claimer at this distance Nov. 27, Golden Principal completed the exacta in both the Dec. 26 GI La Brea S. and the Feb. 133 GII Santa Monica S.

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Kentucky Oaks Winner Shedaresthedevil Kicks Off 4-Year-Old Campaign In Oaklawn’s Azeri

Shedaresthedevil, a finalist for an Eclipse Award as the country's champion 3-year-old filly of 2020, will make her seasonal debut in the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares Saturday at Oaklawn.

Probable post time for the Azeri, which goes as the fifth of 12 races, is 2:03 p.m. (Central). The 1 1/16-mile Azeri is the final major local prep for the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 17.

Shedaresthedevil will be making her first start since finishing third in her first race against older horses, the $400,000 Spinster Stakes (G1) Oct. 4 at Keeneland. Shedaresthedevil had won her previous three starts, including the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Oaks, which was moved from the spring to the fall last year because of COVID-19, is the nation's biggest race for 3-year-old fillies.

Trained by Brad Cox, Shedaresthedevil returned to the work tab Feb. 1 at Oaklawn, then shipped to Fair Grounds because of anticipated winter weather. The daughter of Daredevil recorded four works at Fair Grounds, the last a 5-furlong move in 1:00.20 March 6, before returning to Hot Springs Wednesday. Cox indicated in January that Shedaresthedevil, the 2-1 program favorite, couldn't afford any training hiccups to make the Azeri, won last year by 2019 Kentucky Oaks champion Serengeti Empress.

“In a perfect schedule, I would have liked to have gotten a few more works into her,” Cox said. “But her last two works have been really, really good. Kind of really was the decision-maker. Her last two works have been well in hand. She's doing well. Her weight's good, so I feel confident she's going to run a good race. I don't think she's 100 percent tight, but she's very close.”

Shedaresthedevil was the top locally based 3-year-old filly last year, winning the $300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) before running third behind eventual divisional champion Swiss Skydiver in the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3). Shedaresthedevil races for a partnership that includes Staton Flurry of Hot Springs.

The projected five-horse Azeri field from the rail out: Envoutante, Brian Hernandez Jr. to ride, 121 pounds, 5-2 on the morning line; Motion Emotion, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117, 6-1; Letruska, Joel Rosario, 124, 3-1; Getridofwhatailesu, Javier Castellano, 121, 3-1; and Shedaresthedevil, Florent Geroux, 119, 2-1.

Envoutante, a stablemate of Swiss Skydiver, will also be making her 4-year-old debut Saturday. Envoutante exits what trainer Kenny McPeek termed a “beast of a race,” a front-running six-length victory against older horses in the $200,000 Falls City Stakes (G2) Nov. 26 at Churchill Downs.

Speedy Mexican star Letruska (12 of 16 overall) was an allowance winner last April at Oaklawn and a front-running 3 ½-length winner of the $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic (G3) Jan. 31 at Sam Houston in her last start.

“I think she's the speed,” trainer Fausto Gutierrez said. “You check the numbers. Anyone that wants to run with her, needs to run fast. If we lose, we lose. But the other one is taking a big risk.”

Gutierrez said he hopes to use the Azeri as a steppingstone to the Apple Blossom, among the country's premier two-turn events for older fillies and mares.

Getridofwhatailesu, also trained by Cox, came from well off the pace to win the $150,000 Pippin Stakes Jan. 23 at Oaklawn in her last start. She has a 3-1-0 record in four career starts in Hot Springs.

“She obviously likes Oaklawn,” Cox said. “It looks like there's going to be some pace in there, so she might get a setup. Come-from-behind horses tend to do not as well in shorter fields, but if there's ever one that looked like she could do well in, it would probably be this one, based off just the paper.”

Completing the field is Motion Emotion, who chased Letruska in the Houston Ladies Classic before tiring to finish a well-beaten fifth in her first start for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Motion Emotion recorded sharp front-running maiden and allowance victories in 2019 at Oaklawn before finishing second in the Honeybee and Fantasy when with trainer Tom Van Berg.

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