Ken McPeek | Horse Racing Free Tips

Swiss Skydiver and Authentic Top Sophomore Divisions

Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) dominated the 3-year-old filly division in 2020 and even defeated some of the top older males of her generation, making her the clear-cut choice for this award. Kicking off her sophomore season with a third in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at Fair Grounds in February, the $35,000 KEESEP buy rebounded with a trio of decisive victories in the Mar. 28 GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, May 1 GIII Fantasy S. and June 6 GII Santa Anita Oaks. Trainer Ken McPeek tried his charge against males for the first time in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland July 11, where she finished a valiant second to Art Collector (Bernardini).

Returning to winning ways with a facile victory in Saratoga's prestigious GI Alabama S. Aug. 15, Swiss Skydiver checked in second to Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) next out in the delayed GI Longines Kentucky Oaks Sept. 4. Despite that loss, McPeek and owner Peter Callahan had enough faith in their star filly to take on males yet again, this time in the GI Preakness S. Oct. 3. Swiss Skydiver dueled stride-for-stride with fellow champion and GI Kentucky Derby winner Authentic (Into Mischief) in the lane, turning back that foe in the final strides for a gutsy victory. The chestnut is the sixth filly to win the Preakness and the first since Hall of Famer Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro) in 2009. She was last seen finishing a disappointing seventh behind two-time Eclipse winner Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) after stumbling at the start of the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland Nov. 7.

Over the summer many would have thought Tiz the Law (Constitution) would be taking home the award for top sophomore male, but Authentic (Into Mischief) seized the throne after a sensational fall campaign during which he took home the season's two biggest prizes. A good-looking debut winner at Del Mar in November of 2019, the leggy bay demolished the field in the GIII Sham S. at the start of 2020, despite ducking in harshly in the lane. Following suit with a game victory in the GII San Felipe S. at Santa Anita in March, the $350,000 KEESEP acquisition tasted defeat for the first time at the hooves of Honor A.P. (Honor Code), finishing second in the June 6 GI Santa Anita Derby after breaking a step slow, traveling wide and drifting in the stretch.

Off to a sharp start next out in the nine-furlong GI Haskell Invitational S. July 18, Authentic took the field wire-to-wire, holding off a determined Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic) by a nose. Many doubted his ability to see out the GI Kentucky Derby's 10-furlong distance after that effort, but the May foal silenced all doubters with a front-running victory over favored GI Belmont S. and GI Runhappy Travers S. victor Tiz the Law. The Bob Baffert pupil did not get his preferred position on the front end in the GI Preakness S. Oct. 3 and came up a neck short of champion filly Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) after a gritty stretch duel. Facing his elders for the first time including champion stablemates Improbable (City Zip) and Maximum Security (New Year's Day) in the Nov. 7 GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, Authentic went straight to the lead on a Keeneland oval favoring speed and ran his rivals off their feet for a 2 1/4-length score. Following that career-high, the colt was retired to the Spendthrift stallion barn, where he will stand alongside his red hot sire Into Mischief.

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Second Chances: Salit

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar.

Salit (f, 3, American Pharoah–Scherzi, by Brahms) came flying home from far back to complete the trifecta in her promising unveiling over the Gulfstream lawn Sunday (video).

Some early trouble and a wide journey around the second turn weren't the only factors working against her that day.

“I really think she probably should've won first time out,” trainer Ken McPeek said. “She ended up with a cut in her mouth post race. We're not sure when or how, but it happened, and she'll need a little time for that to heal. It made [jockey] Jose Ortiz's job difficult. He did a good job just getting out of her what he did. Lots of ways to get beat. That is a very talented filly.”

The Lee Pokoik colorbearer had a trio of bullets on her worktab in Hallandale, including a five-furlong move in 1:00 (1/6) Jan. 12, and was well-backed at 4-1 from a 12-1 morning-line quote.

Salit took an early bump and was checked shortly after the start. The chestnut was a bit of a handful thereafter, tossing her head and fighting Ortiz some as she caboosed the field of 12 heading into the clubhouse turn.

No fewer than 15 lengths back through fractions of :23.54 and :47.87, she finally re-entered the picture as they rounded the far turn and quickly caught the eye with a four-wide blitz.

Widest of all and right in the mix as they straightened for home, Salit continued to roll down the center of the course in the stretch and came within 1 1/4 lengths of the winner Joy of Painting (Munnings).

Salit clocked her final quarter in easily a field-best :22.78 and earned a 60 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

McPeek also saddled Pokoik's 3-year-old homebred filly Tabor Hall (Candy Ride {Arg}) to a maiden victory going 1 1/16 miles on the main track earlier on the same card.

“I needed to keep Lee Pokoik's fillies split, but I think she'll handle the dirt no problem, too,” McPeek said of Salit. “She's done everything right. We're pretty excited about her. We'll get her mouth fixed up–maybe a week to 10 days–and let that heal. She should be locked and loaded next time out.”

Hailing from the second crop of Triple Crown winner and promising young stallion American Pharoah, Salit brought $175,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. Her 15-year-old dam Scherzi, a half-sister to GI Spinaway S. heroine So Many Ways (Sightseeing), was a 12-time winner and made 40 career starts. Salit was bred in Kentucky by John R. Penn.

Previous standouts featured in 'Second Chances' include: GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P. (Honor Code), GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner and Royal Ascot G2 Norfolk S. runner-up Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Paradise Woods (Union Rags), GII Los Alamitos Futurity winner and MGISP Spielberg (Union Rags), GSW Backyard Heaven (Tizway), and MSW and 'TDN Rising Star' Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

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‘Fury’ Looking For Redemption in Kentucky JC

Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm’s King Fury (Curlin) is undefeated in two prior starts at Churchill Downs and tries to annex his first graded victory in Saturday’s GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. A debut winner at the Louisville oval in September, the chestnut was eighth in Keeneland’s GI Breeders’ Futurity S. Oct. 3 before bouncing back to score in the Oct. 25 Street Sense S. Last time out, the 2-year-old finished seventh under Brian Hernandez Jr. in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Nov. 6.

“He’s 2-for-2 at Churchill Downs so we know he really likes it here,” said trainer Ken McPeek. “We’ve added blinkers to him in hopes to get him to the next level. I think they could add to his focus and really get him there. His only two blemishes came at Keeneland, so we’re excited to get him back to Churchill.”

McPeek will attempt to add his second win in the Kentucky Jockey Club following Signalman in 2018.

Dale Romans offers a three-pronged attack, led by GIII Iroquois S. winner Sittin On Go (Brody’s Cause). Campaigned by the Albaugh Family, the chestnut launched his career with a five-furlong win at Ellis in August before taking his route bow in the Iroquois. He was most recently ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Running for the same connections, Smiley Sobotka (Brody’s Cause) was runner-up in his career bow while negotiating 6 1/2 furlongs at Ellis in August before graduating in his route unveiling at Keeneland Oct. 4. Rounding out the Romans triumvirate is Ultimate Badger (Commissioner), who won his latest start in a optional claimer over track and trip Oct. 25.

Looking for a class break is Keepmeinmind (Laoban), on the board in all three prior starts, including a second in the Breeders’ Futurity followed by a third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. David Cohen, aboard for the bay’s first two career starts, reunites with the colt Saturday.

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Simply Ravishing Heads Churchill’s Golden Rod

A winner of her first three career starts, Harold Lerner, Magdalena Racing, and Nehoc Stables’ Simply Ravishing (Laoban) found Vequist (Nyquist) too tough in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland, but will attempt to return to the top spot in Saturday’s GII Golden Rod S. A debut winner for Ken McPeek going 8 1/2 furlongs over the Saratoga turf Aug. 2, the bay aired by 6 1/2 lengths in an off-turf renewal of the PG Johnson S. Sept. 3. Sent off the 2-1 second choice for the Oct. 2 GI Darley Alcibiades S., the New York-bred dismantled her opposition, rolling home a front-running 6 1/4-length winner. Sent off the second choice in the Nov. 6 Juvenile Fillies, Simply Ravishing ran an even fourth.

“I thought she ran a great race considering how it shaped up early,” McPeek explained. “She didn’t break well at all and had a tough trip the entire way around there. I think it was very promising the way she finished up considering the problems she had.”

Kueber Racing LLC’s Coach (Commissioner) will try to remain undefeated following a trio of victories, including her most recent in Churchill’s Rags to Riches S. Oct. 25. Coach kicked off her career with a pair of Indiana scores, including a 9 1/4-length romp in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance Sept. 15.

“Distance definitely doesn’t seem to be an issue with her,” affirmed trainer Brad Cox. “She loved the extra ground in the Rags to Riches and this race made the most sense for her next start.”

Also carrying the Cox banner is OXO Equine LLC’s Travel Column (Frosted), who earned TDN Rising Star billing following a confident win in a six-furlong Churchill maiden Sept. 4. The grey finished a well-beaten third in the Alcibiades.

“I don’t think the track necessarily played into her favor that day,” explained Cox. “She broke a little slow and couldn’t really make up much ground with the pace. She’s a high-quality filly by Frosted and has trained forwardly out of the race.”

Steven Asmussen packs a one-two punch led by Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Clairiere (Curlin), a first out winner over this track and distance Oct. 25. The filly is out of Cavorting (Bernardini), a winner of six graded races, including a trio at the highest level, for Stonestreet and Kiaran McLaughlin. Asmussen also saddles two-time winner Lady Lilly (Nyquist), third two-back in the Sept. 6 GI Spinaway S.

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