King Fury | Horse Racing Free Tips

McPeek Looks To Next Starts For Swiss Skydiver, King Fury

Peter J. Callahan's Swiss Skydiver chased gate-to-wire winner Knicks Go throughout Saturday's Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., ranging up three-wide with a threatening move late in the final turn before fading to fourth in her first start since a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom in April.

Trained by Kenny McPeek, last year's Grade 1 Preakness-winner was initially targeting the Grade 3 Shuvee on July 25 before having to change course when their barn was placed under a precautionary quarantine, related to a positive case of Equine Herpesvirus-1 in their barn, which is shared with trainer Jorge Abreu. The quarantine was lifted on August 1 and all horses cleared without symptoms.

Assistant trainer Francis Chiumiento said he was proud of the performance by the filly, who was being piloted by Irad Ortiz, Jr. for the first time.

“I thought she proved how good she is and Irad was really happy with how she ran,” Chiumiento said. “He felt she had a shot to win at some point. These are all good indicators. She came back well and she's happy and content.

“I brought her in here around June 18 and she was doing everything just great,” he added. “We were going to run in the Shuvee and the Personal Ensign and then the outbreak happened. Thank God we contained it and none of our horses were affected. We did everything right.”

The $600,000 Grade 1 Personal Ensign presented by Lia Infiniti, a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Distaff, is slated for Travers Day August 28.

Three Chimneys Farm and Fern Circles Stables' King Fury, who had initially targeted the Grade 2 Jim Dandy on July 31, finished 10th in Saturday's Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational after a wide trip exiting the outside post in the 11-horse field.

Chiumiento said King Fury should benefit from the experience as he points to the $1.25 million Grade 1 Runhappy Travers.

“He was hung out wide the whole time,” Chiumiento said. “He needed a race, too. Unfortunately, we were using a $1 million race as a prep. He handled the turf well but he was wide the whole time. He needed that race to tighten him up and I think he'll be very strong for the Travers. He came back happy and walked great this morning.”

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Chiumiento said he appreciated the presence of NYRA Safety Steward Juan Dominguez for his assistance in negotiating the quarantine protocols.

“It was a pressure cooker but we did everything right. We made sure all the staff followed the protocols, from wearing gloves to disinfecting every stall. We took it serious and we know Jorge Abreu did as well.” Chiumiento said. “I really want to commend Juan Dominguez. He and I worked together and he did a tremendous job to make sure this didn't spread. He and Martin Panza [Senior Vice President of Racing Operations] were here, as well as Keith [Doleshel, Racing Secretary], almost every day and I have to commend them for that. They didn't have to do that. We made sure it was controlled and that there wasn't a chance for it to spread.

“We were prepared to do really well and it's frustrating because we don't know now how we'd have done,” Chiumiento added regarding their initial targets. “Kenny handled it with tremendous class. He's just a very down-to-earth and classy man. He was cool, calm, and collected.”

On Thursday, Harold Lerner, Magdalena Racing, and Nehoc Stables' Grade 1-winner Simply Ravishing returns in the nine-furlong $120,000 Saratoga Dew for New York-bred fillies 3-years-old and up.

A $50,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, the 4-year-old Laoban bay won 3-of-5 starts in her sophomore season, including a maiden win on the turf last August on debut and a 6 1/2-length score in the off-the-turf P.G. Johnson in September.

Simply Ravishing made the grade with a 6 1/4-length score in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades in October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., before finishing fourth in both the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland and the Grade 2 Golden Rod at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., in November.

She launched her current campaign in April with an off-the-board effort in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland.

Simply Ravishing has breezed extensively on the Oklahoma training track dating back to June 26 when she fired a bullet three-eighths in :35.86 and followed a week later with a bullet half-mile in :48.08.

“She's doing good. She's a cool filly and does everything right,” Chiumiento said. “She trains like a gorilla. She puts up bullets. I think she'll be right there.”

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Bolshoi Ballets Looks to Take Second Leg of Turf Trinity

GI Belmont Derby hero Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) looks to secure the second leg of NYRA's Turf Trinity Saturday in the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational S. Capturing the G3 Ballysax S. in April, the Aidan O'Brien trainee followed suit with a dominant score in the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial a month later. Well-beaten as the favorite in the G1 Cazoo Derby June 5, the Coolmore runner rallied to a good-looking score at Belmont July 10 under Ryan Moore, who returns Stateside for this event.

“It's a good opportunity for him,' said T J Comerford, traveling assistant to O'Brien. “He's doing well and came back here in good order. Aidan and the team are very happy with him at the moment. If he runs to his last race, he should be right there again.”

Charlie Appleby saddles another worth a hard look in Godolphin's Secret Protector (War Front). The $800,000 KEESEP buy won a Meydan allowance in February and was runner-up in both the Feilden S. Apr. 13 and Newmarket S. May 1. The bay enters off a third in the G3 Hampton Court S. June 17 at Royal Ascot.

Another strong European contender is Cadillac (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). Victorious in the G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile S. in September, the bay was fifth in the G1 Dewhurst S. in October and finished fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf S. Nov. 6. He enters off a victory in the G3 ARM Holding International S. June 26.

Leading the U.S. contingent is Natalie Baffert and Debbie Lanni's Du Jour (Temple City). The $280,000 OBSAPR purchase won a trio of grass races for Bob Baffert, including the GII American Turf S., and was transferred to Bill Mott for the Belmont Derby, where he finished fourth, after his previous trainer was temporarily banned from entries at NYRA. Baffert won an injunction to return to racing at NYRA, but the colt remains in Mott's care for this event.

Also worth a mention is GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. victor King Fury (Curlin), who tries turf for the first time here after finishing a close second in the GIII Ohio Derby last out June 26. The hulking chestnut was originally scheduled to run in last weekend's GII Jim Dandy S., but was forced to miss that event as his trainer Ken McPeek's barn was under quarantine. Without many options left to prep for the GI Runhappy Travers S., King Fury resurfaces in this test.

“We're really using this race as a prep for the Travers, which is something that Catholic Boy (More Than Ready) pulled off. So that will be interesting,” McPeek said. “I think he'll handle the grass just fine. He's a lovely horse. So hopefully, it's one step and a big one for him.”

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Swiss Skydiver Gets Final Work For Whitney

Peter Callahan's three-time Grade 1 winner Swiss Skydiver put in her final piece of serious preparation for Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Whitney at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

With Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard, the Kenny McPeek-trained 4-year-old daughter of Daredevil went five-eighths in 1:01.21 Sunday over a Saratoga main track rated fast.

A winner over six different ovals, including Saratoga when capturing last year's Grade 1 Alabama, Swiss Skydiver has won with five different jockeys aboard.

Ortiz, Jr. will look to increase that number when he pilots the chestnut filly in the Whitney.

“He loved her and said she felt great,” McPeek said. “We're excited, we should be ready. She's adaptable to racetracks and jockeys, it doesn't really matter.”

Swiss Skydiver has posted six graded stakes wins over five different ovals with her biggest claim to fame taking place against males in last year's Grade 1 Preakness Stakes. The last female to capture the Whitney was undefeated Hall of Famer Personal Ensign in 1988.

McPeek breezed graded stakes winner King Fury over the Oklahoma training turf Sunday in preparation for Saturday's $1 million Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational going 1 3/16 miles over the Mellon turf course.

The son of Curlin, out of Grade 1-winner Taris, worked with Jose Ortiz aboard in company with Fighting Seabee, winner of the 2019 Grade 3 With Anticipation, and finished off his five-furlong move in 1:01.25.

Owned by Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm, King Fury scored in the Grade 3 Lexington on April 10 over a sloppy and sealed track at Keeneland two starts back. He arrives at his turf debut off a close second to Masqueparade in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby on June 26 at Thistledown.

McPeek said he would like to run King Fury in the $1.25 million Grade 1 Runhappy Travers.

“Jose seemed to think that he can handle the turf,” McPeek said. “We'll learn a little something about him and it's a big purse. That's been our goal all summer is to get him to the Travers. The turf race is looking deep but it shouldn't hurt him.

“It's a very good group of 3-year-olds and Essential Quality had another workmanlike win yesterday, but it's hard to separate the 3-year-olds until the Breeders' Cup,” McPeek continued. “That's the race that really separates everybody.”

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Swiss Skydiver To Try Open Company Again In Whitney

Trainer Kenny McPeek said he will look to give his superstar filly Swiss Skydiver a second triumph against males in the $1 million Grade 1 Whitney on August 7 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The historic nine-furlong event offers a “Win And You're In” berth to the $6 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic on November 6 at Del Mar.

Owned by Peter Callahan, the 4-year-old daughter of Daredevil bested the boys in last year's Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, where she became only the sixth filly to win the American Classic.

Swiss Skydiver has registered two starts this year, shipping to the West Coast to capture the Grade 1 Beholder Mile on March 13 at Santa Anita ahead of a distant third to Letruska in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom on April 17 at Oaklawn Park.

Initially entered in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park, Swiss Skydiver scratched from the race when spiking a temperature. With sights set on the Grade 3 Shuvee on July 25, McPeek had to alter course when NYRA and the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) placed Barn 86 at Saratoga under a precautionary quarantine on July 15 due to a positive case of Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) in that barn.

McPeek said Swiss Skydiver is ready for a second triumph against males.

“She had some hiccups in the spring,” McPeek said. “She had a hind leg infection which contributed to her uncharacteristic run at Oaklawn, and she had a fever when we shipped to Belmont. We're hoping to get into a little rhythm with her and I'm looking forward to running her.”

Swiss Skydiver has notched six graded stakes victories, dating back to last March when taking the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks in gate-to-wire fashion. From there, she added miles to the tank with triumphs in the Grade 3 Fantasy at Oaklawn Park last May and the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks last June.

After making her first start against males with a game second in the Grade 2 Blue Grass at Keeneland Race Course last July, she recorded her first triple-digit Beyer with a 3 ½-length win in the Grade 1 Alabama in August in her lone start at the Spa, where she posted a 102 Beyer.

“Throughout the time I've had her, she's gone from a girl to a woman. She's as attractive as ever and maybe more so now,” McPeek said. “From two to three to four, you never know how they're going to evolve but she's doing everything right. She's bigger in her shoulder and her hip at this stage. She's always been an extremely intelligent filly. She's a happy horse and still loves her job.”

A Whitney triumph would make Swiss Skydiver the seventh female to strike gold in the prestigious event for older horses. The most recent Whitney victress was Ogden Phipps' undefeated Hall of Famer Personal Ensign in 1988.

McPeek selected Swiss Skydiver for $35,000 from Select Sales consignment barn at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Through a career of 14-7-3-2, she has amassed $2,125,480.

“We'll see if she can pull it off. I think she should have a real good second half of the year,” McPeek said. “She's already got a Grade 1 this year which is good. Good horses ship well. Trainers like Todd [Pletcher] do it a lot, but good horses can and will ship well. We're blessed to have some quality stock in the barn.”

McPeek said Phoenix Thoroughbred III's Crazy Beautiful is likely to bypass the $700,000 Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational on August 8 in favor of the $600,000 Grade 1 Alabama on August 21 at the Spa.

The gray or roan daughter of third-crop sire Liam's Map worked five furlongs in 1:01.87 Saturday over the Oklahoma training track.

“I'm leaning against it today, but I have a couple weeks,” McPeek said of the Saratoga Oaks. “They are inviting her, but we need to make sure she's on tilt before committing to anything. I thought she'd work better than she did yesterday. I want to give her a few days. She will be nominated to the Alabama, but I just need to make sure she's 110 percent.”

Crazy Beautiful has already taken down three graded stakes events this season, capturing the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks on March 27 before running tenth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. She returned to action with style when taking the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks on May 30 at Santa Anita Park before a six-length romp over a good and sealed track at Delaware Park in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks on July 3.

While Crazy Beautiful appears unlikely for the Saratoga Oaks, McPeek plans on running King Fury in its male counterpart race – the $1 million Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational on August 6.

Owned by Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm, King Fury was a last out second beaten a half-length in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby on June 26 at Thistledown after an 18-1 upset win in the Grade 3 Lexington on April 10 at Keeneland.

King Fury blitzed through five furlongs Saturday over the Oklahoma training track in :59.86 seconds, the fastest of 19 recorded works at the distance.

King Fury has yet to race on turf, but McPeek said he should handle it well.

“His work was awesome yesterday. He was really impressive,” McPeek said. “He definitely will run in the Saratoga Derby. I think he can handle the turf. We'll give him a work over the grass next week and that ought to have him ready.”

King Fury boasts a royal pedigree being by multiple champion-producing sire Curlin out of Grade 1-winner Taris.

McPeek selected Curlin as a yearling for $57,000 and the talented chestnut went on to be named two-time Horse of the Year.

“They're a little different bodied horses, but he certainly his father's son,” McPeek said. “Curlin was a little heavier; this one is a little more finesse which is why I think he'll handle the grass.”

McPeek said graded stakes winner and dual Grade 1-placed Envoutante, a last-out third to Letruska in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis on June 26 at Churchill Downs has been given a break with sights set on the $500,000 Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster on October 10 at Keeneland.

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