Fantasy winner Swiss Skydiver's longterm goal is the Kentucky Oaks

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Trainer Ken McPeek had Swiss Skydiver primed for a top performance the first Friday in May. But instead of coming in the Kentucky Oaks, which has been postponed to Sept. 4, it came in the Grade 3, $400,000 Fantasy at Oaklawn Park.

Swiss Skydiver won the mile and a sixteenth race in a sharp time of 1:42 and earned a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 99. It’s the top number put up by a 3-year-old filly so far in North America, according to statistics from Daily Racing Form.

Swiss Skydiver on Saturday had emerged from her win in good order, said McPeek, who trains the filly for Peter Callahan. She is scheduled to ship to Kentucky, McPeek said, with her objective now the Kentucky Oaks. Swiss Skydiver earned 100 eligibility points for the race Friday. She had previously picked up 100 points for her wire-to-wire win in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks on March 28.

Swiss Skydiver's Fantasy time was the fastest since 1991, when Lite Light covered the distance in 1:41.80 on a good track, according to the Oaklawn media guide. Swiss Skydiver ran on a fast track Friday.

McPeek said the timing of the Fantasy was a factor in targeting the race. Oaklawn moved it from its original April 10 date after the Kentucky Oaks was rescheduled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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Swiss Skydiver stalked the pace in the Fantasy, joined leader Venetian Harbor through six furlongs in 1:09.67, and battled with that one until pulling clear the final sixteenth to win by 2 1/4 lengths.

Swiss Skydiver went off at a surprising 16-1.

“I think some people thought she got an easy lead in Florida,” McPeek said. “She’s just a good filly overall. She certainly doesn’t have to run that way early. The races we ran her short taught her to overcome horses in front of her and work her way around.

“We’re looking forward to getting to Kentucky. No plans are set right now. Right now, there’s no races to choose.”

But there is one to target: the first Friday in September.