Fantasy winner Swiss Skydiver could run in Europe next
Swiss Skydiver became a multiple graded stakes winner for trainer Kenny McPeek in Friday’s Fantasy Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park with a victory that could earn her a business trip to Europe.
McPeek said Saturday that although plans are still fluid due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting uncertainty of the global stakes schedule, the Daredevil filly could make her next start in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket in the United Kingdom.
“There are no races for her on the U.S. schedule, so we’re going to nominate her to the 1,000 Guineas,” McPeek said. “We contacted them. They are working on the schedule, for maybe the first week in June. There’s nothing set in stone. We’re just doing the nomination and the due diligence.
“I think she’ll like the grass. It’s a great race. Typically, we wouldn’t have an opportunity to run in a race like this because of the timing. If she continues to do as well as she’s been doing, there’s a better-than-average chance we will take her."
Swiss Skydiver won the Fantasy at Oaklawn after chasing favored Venetian Harbor, who set strong fractions throughout the race. The Peter Callahan-owned filly hit the wire in the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:42.
Purchased for a modest $35,000 from the 2018 Keeneland September yearling sale, Swiss Skydiver has earned $437,980 for Callahan, winning three of her six career starts.
Swiss Skydiver entered the Fantasy off a front-running Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) score in March.
“She’s been an underdog since the beginning since she wasn’t expensive. We’ve made a habit of buying a few like that over the years,” McPeek said. “She’s just getting better and better. Once we got her to the added distance, it helped her. She keeps getting stronger. It’s fun to watch.”
McPeek said his filly came out of Friday’s race in good order and looks forward to getting her back to her home base.
“She came out well, no problem,” McPeek said. “She vans back to Kentucky tomorrow morning. Let’s keep our fingers crossed she stays in form.”
McPeek has also said Keeneland's Ashland (G1), should it be rescheduled for sometime this summer, is a possibility on the way to Swiss Skydiver's longterm goal of competing in the Sept. 4 Kentucky Oaks.