Swiss Skydiver can give McPeek elusive Kentucky Oaks victory

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Swiss Skydiver gave trainer Ken McPeek his second victory in Saratoga’s Grade 1 Alabama in the last three years Saturday, and now the four-time graded stakes-winning 3-year-old filly will try to give McPeek his first victory in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs.

McPeek, a Kentucky native, is winless in nine runnings of the Oaks, having finished second in 2002 with Take Charge Lady and second in 2017 with Daddy’s Lil Darling. He’s also run fourth three times.

“I’ve run respectable in it,” McPeek said. “I think we’re due … We’ve kind of circled the bull's-eye. I think at some point we’ll win it, maybe it’s this year. It is probably as live a shot as I’ve ever taken.”

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Swiss Skydiver figures to be at worst second choice behind multiple Grade 1 winner Gamine, who has been brilliant winning the Grade 1 Acorn by 18 3/4 lengths and the Grade 1 Test by seven lengths. In her last five starts, Swiss Skydiver has won four graded stakes and finished second to Art Collector in the Grade 2 Blue Grass for 3-year-old males.

McPeek said the showdown between Swiss Skydiver and Gamine “will be fun.

“I know I’m taking a loaded gun,” McPeek said. “It’s a high-level problem. It could be a great match-up.”

Swiss Skydiver was a handy 3 1/2-length winner of the Alabama, for which she earned a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure. She has won four stakes races run around two turns.

Though Swiss Skydiver now must run back in three weeks in the Oaks, McPeek said he was not concerned about the relatively short turnaround time.

“Not at all,” McPeek said Sunday as he was driving back to Kentucky. “Especially the way he geared her down late. She knocked out the feed tub again last night. The biggest issue is logistics getting south.”

McPeek was originally planning to van Swiss Skydiver back to Kentucky on Monday, but one of the van drivers McPeek had lined up got sick. Now, McPeek may keep her in Saratoga until Aug. 25, when there is a flight from Albany to Kentucky.

“I’m probably leaning toward flying her back on the 25th,” he said. “Less stressful.”