By Jim Freer
The Florida-connected Swiss Skydiver led at every call and beat Speech by four lengths in Saturday’s $200,000 Santa Anita Oaks (Grade 2) for 3-year-old fillies.
The victory was Swiss Skydiver’s third in a row in a “Road to the Kentucky Oaks” points qualifying race. She earned 100 points, adding to her lead as trainer Ken McPeek prepares her for the $1.25 million Grade 1 stakes that will be run on Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
Swiss Skydiver wins the Gulfstream Park Oaks, 3/28/20; Photo Credit Lauren King
Her two previous races were wins in the $200,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (Grade 2) at Gulfstream on March 28 and in the $300,000 Fantasy Stakes (Grade 3)at Oaklaw Park in Hot Springs, Ark. on May 1.
Thse two races and the Sata Anita Oaks were 1 1/16 miles on dirt. The Kentucky Oaks is 1 1/8 miles on dirt.
Peter Callahan, a resident of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., owns Swiss Skydiver, who is a daughter of Daredevil.
Swiss Skydiver was the 3-5 favorite and Speech was the 2-1 second choice in Saturday’s field of just four horses.
With four-time Eclipse Award winner Mike Smth riding her for the first time, Swiss Skydiver won in 1:43.20 on the track listed as fast.
