Fast-improving Swiss Skydiver looks best in Santa Anita Oaks

Swiss Skydiver, whom trainer Ken McPeek calls “Miss Professional,” has vaulted to the fore of the nation’s 3-year-old filly division this spring with consecutive graded stakes at Gulfstream Park and Oaklawn Park.

Saturday, Swiss Skydiver will have her California debut when she starts favored in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks at 1 1/16 miles.

“There were no options on the East Coast,” McPeek said on Thursday. “She’s been doing extremely well. I tried to find an excuse not to go. It’s a short field. She seems to be the sort of filly that handles travel.”

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The Santa Anita Oaks is the fifth race on an 11-race program.

Swiss Skydiver will be making her seventh start, and Santa Anita will be the sixth track she has raced at. Owned by Peter Callahan, Swiss Skydiver has started at 1 1/16 miles in her last three starts, and showed rapid improvement.

Swiss Skydiver was third in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes at the distance at Fair Grounds in February, followed by a win in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks on March 28 and a victory by 2 1/2 lengths over the heavily favored Venetian Harbor in the Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park on May 1.

Swiss Skydiver has drawn the rail against four rivals in the Santa Anita Oaks, and is the only graded stakes winner in the field.

Speech was a well-beaten second in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes behind Donna Veloce on March 8. Smiling Shirlee won the Evening Jewel Stakes at six furlongs for California-bred 3-year-old fillies on May 16 and runs for the first time in a graded stakes in the Santa Anita Oaks.

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The Santa Anita Oaks is the stakes debut for two recent maiden race winners trained by Bob Baffert – Merneith and Regal Beauty.

Merneith and Speech are quick enough to set the pace. Speech was near the front for the first six furlongs of the Santa Ysabel at 1 1/16 miles.

Swiss Skydiver led throughout the Gulfstream Park Oaks and stalked the pace in the Fantasy.

“I think tactically she can stalk the pace or be on the pace,” McPeek said. “Any horse that can do that is dangerous. She can lay off the speed and wait for them and punch.”

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will ride Swiss Skydiver for the first time on Saturday. McPeek expects Smith to have Swiss Skydiver near the front in the opening quarter-mile from the inside post.

“It’s a little tricky,” McPeek said. “I’ll leave it up to Mike. He could let her run to the first turn and see what unfolds.”

McPeek said Swiss Skydiver’s success in recent months is the result of running in longer races. The Santa Anita Oaks is likely to lead to a start in the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland on July 11 for Swiss Skydiver, all part of preparation for the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on Sept. 4 for a filly with a soaring reputation.