'Crapshooter' owner confident in Swiss Skydiver's Preakness bid
Thoroughbred owner Peter Callahan is 78 years old and said his severely compromised immune system has forced him to stay close to home during the pandemic. He was not planning to attend the 2020 Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course – until glowing reports from trainer Ken McPeek about his filly, Swiss Skydiver, led him to reconsider.
According to Callahan, McPeek told him, “You’ve got to come. We could have something to say about this.”
When McPeek talks, Callahan tends to listen.
He will be forever grateful that McPeek urged him to buy Swiss Skydiver at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. After authorizing a bid as high as $50,000, he was delighted when McPeek purchased the daughter of Daredevil for $35,000. She has earned nearly $1.2 million.
So when McPeek made the case to give Swiss Skydiver a shot as the 55th female to start in the Preakness in the race’s 145-year history, Callahan was happy to oblige.
“I think we’re both crapshooters,” the owner said of his relationship with McPeek. “I admire Kenny for many things, and one of them is that he’s always reaching for stars.”
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Some would say it is a stretch to believe that Swiss Skydiver, coming off a runner-up finish to lightly-regarded Shedaresthedevil in the Kentucky Oaks, can become the sixth female to defeat males in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness. She was, after all, a well-beaten second to fellow Preakness starter Art Collector in the July 11 Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland, finishing 3½ lengths behind him.
Callahan is undeterred. “I think we’ve got a good chance,” he said, “or we wouldn’t go.”
The veteran owner took away many positive elements from the Blue Grass.
“Sure, we got beaten soundly by a horse we will face on Saturday, but we would say we went a little too quick in the second quarter of that race,” he said. “If we saved some energy, we might have been a little closer. I don’t know if we were going to win because that horse ran the race of his life. But he hasn’t scared us.
“Let us not forget that in that race, the Blue Grass, while we did get beaten by Art Collector, we did beat 11 other colts. It’s not like we don’t belong, although it will take every bit of luck we can muster (in the Preakness).”
Callahan envisions an extremely favorable pace scenario for Swiss Skydiver and new pilot Robby Albarado. With other high early speed in the final leg of this year’s Triple Crown, he does not expect Authentic to be allowed the unpressured lead he enjoyed in the Derby.
He looks for Albarado to have Swiss Skydiver in perfect striking position in third or fourth.
“We’re not going to be very far behind,” he said. “But we are not going to be in front, I can tell you that.”
As to whether he will take advantage of the opportunity he has as an owner to watch the race in person with his family at otherwise fan-free Pimlico, he said he will make a “game-day decision.” He has three daughters and four granddaughters who have become big fans.
“The notion of competing against boys is appealing to the family,” Callahan said.
He admitted that recent experiences at the track have been lacking. He was extremely disappointed that only he was able to watch Swiss Skydiver win the Alabama (G1) in mid-August at Saratoga Race Course. He said two of his daughters and one granddaughter were denied admission to the track as the New York Racing Association adhered to strict protocols.
“They had to watch the race from a chain link fence,” he said. “I’m not doing that again.”
He also did not find the atmosphere surrounding the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs to be uplifting. Louisville was very much on edge with the possibility that police protests might become violent.
“I saw more military gear down there than I’ve seen in my lifetime,” Callahan said.
Still, he contacted Pimlico officials to inquire about accommodations for owners. With Swiss Skydiver prepared to fire her best shot at becoming the first female to defeat males in the Preakness since Rachel Alexandra in 2009, it may be hard to stay away.
“I truly believe we will be one, two, three,” Callahan said. “Obviously, you know which way I prefer.”