McPeek boldly opts to run his star filly Swiss Skydiver in Blue Grass Stakes

Kenny McPeek sang a familiar refrain when revealing Wednesday that Swiss Skydiver will run against males Saturday in the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.

“This has already been one of the weirdest years ever,” said McPeek, referring to the far-reaching repercussions of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “Might as well add to it.”

Swiss Skydiver, easily the leading points earner toward the Sept. 4 Kentucky Oaks, most likely could have had an easier time by running in a shorter field of 3-year-old fillies in the Grade 1 Ashland earlier on the Saturday card at spectator-free Keeneland. But McPeek and his longtime client, owner Peter Callahan, are rolling the dice, hoping Swiss Skydiver will earn enough qualifying points when facing 12 colts and geldings in the $600,000 Blue Grass (100-40-20-10) to merit consideration for a run in the 146th Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs.

“In any other year, it’d be an easy decision to just go on and run in the Ashland,” said McPeek. “But I’ve got another filly [Envoutante] who’s really doing well also, and I don’t like going into a race knowing I’m going to beat myself.”

Swiss Skydiver aside, the Blue Grass field is not all that distinguished, although five of the current Top 20 horses on Daily Racing Form’s weekly Derby Watch are entered in the 1 1/8-mile race – Art Collector, Basin, Enforceable, Mr. Big News, and Shivaree.

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“I think it’s a modest group, on form,” said McPeek. “I think this’ll be fun. If she can jump through this hoop, maybe she’ll be a Derby horse. Let’s just hope she gets a fair run at it.”

Swiss Skydiver, a late Triple Crown nominee, has won her last three starts in convincing fashion – the Grade 2 Gulfstream Oaks under Paco Lopez, the Grade 3 Fantasy under Brian Hernandez Jr., and the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks under Mike Smith. With Smith back to ride Saturday, the daughter of the young sire Daredevil will become just the second filly to run in the Blue Grass since the race was first held at Keeneland in 1937, following Harriet Sue, who was fifth in the 1944 running.

Devil May Care was the last filly to run in the Kentucky Derby, finishing 10th at 10-1 in 2010 for trainer Todd Pletcher. Since Churchill instituted its points system ahead of the 2013 Derby, very few fillies have even tried the boys in Derby points races, and none have tried any of the so-called “major” domestic preps such as the Blue Grass. According to Churchill records, three have earned points but did not proceed to the Derby: Polar River, second in the 2016 UAE Derby; Rayya, second in the 2018 UAE Derby; and Paved, winner of the 2018 El Camino Real Derby.

If she advances to the Derby, Swiss Skydiver would be trying to become the fourth filly to win the roses, following Regret (1915), Genuine Risk (1980), and Winning Colors (1988).

“She’s an awfully good filly,” said McPeek, who won the Blue Grass with Harlan’s Holiday (2002) and Java’s War (2013). “She’s really been on a high roll. We just thought she deserved a shot at something like this. The timing and everything else seems right, so why not.”

Swiss Skydiver, carrying 118 pounds in comparison to 123 for her male opponents, is a logical betting favorite after being assigned post 7 for the Blue Grass. Art Collector, who earned a field-high 100 Beyer Speed Figure in winning a Churchill allowance route four weeks ago for trainer Tommy Drury, shouldn’t be far behind on the tote board, along with Basin and Enforceable.

Basin won the Grade 1 Hopeful last September and has fared respectably in each of his three starts this year, most recently finishing second to the since-injured Charlatan in the first division of the May 2 Arkansas Derby. Steve Asmussen trains the Liam’s Map colt for the Jackpot Farm of Terry Green and Ryne Poncik.

“The Arkansas Derby took a lot out of him,” Poncik said earlier this week on the National Thoroughbred Racing Association teleconference. “But these last nine weeks, he’s really gotten stronger and thicker. He’s a very happy horse right now.”

Mr. Big News, a late-running winner of the ungraded Oaklawn Stakes at 46-1 in his last start April 11, will be looking to pick up his first Derby points. The Giant’s Causeway colt was originally targeted for the May 23 Matt Winn at Churchill before trainer Bret Calhoun ultimately steered him toward the Blue Grass, with the career-ending injury on June 10 to the would-be race favorite, Maxfield, being a factor.

“He’s a horse that really started developing late in his 2-year-old year,” said Calhoun. “A lot of people still aren’t going to believe in him, but we sure do.”

The 96th Blue Grass had been scheduled for April 4 before Keeneland condensed its canceled spring meet into a five-day July meet. It’s the second of two Derby points races this week, following the Indiana Derby (20-8-4-2) on Wednesday. The July 16 Peter Pan (50-20-10-5) at Saratoga and the July 18 Haskell (100-40-20-10) at Monmouth Park are the next major events on the revised points schedule.

For the first time in many years, there is no major network telecast for the Blue Grass. The race will be shown on TVG with post time set for 5:30 p.m. Eastern.