In a 14-filly field packed deeply with talented 3-year-olds, Kenny McPeek-trained Swiss Skydiver ran fiercely to overtake favorite Venetian Harbor in the $400,000 G3 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park. The Munnings filly, artfully ridden by Brian Hernandez, collected 100 points on her way to the Kentucky Oaks in September.
Breaking sharply from post no. two, Flavien Prat set a sizzling pace aboard Venetian Harbor followed by Ring Leader with Swiss Skydiver third and Lake Avenue fourth. Swiss Skydiver moved up behind Venetian Harbor and the pair hooked up on the backstretch with the field close behind. Coming around the stretch turn both fillies began to pull away and then they took off down the stretch leaving 10 lengths between them and the pack in a match race for home.
In a grinding battle of wills, Swiss Skydiver finally pulled away from Venetian Harbor to win by 2 1/2 lengths with the field 13 lengths back. The two 3-year-old fillies put in a steely effort with wicked splits of :22.25 first 1/4; :45.43 at the 1/2; 1 mile at 1:35.32 and finished the 1 1/16 miles 1:42 flat.
Peter Callahan owns the Kentucky-bred filly, who McPeek fetched as a Keeneland yearling for $35,000. This is Swiss Skydiver’s second graded stakes win a row having won the G2 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Park Oaks on March 28. The speed filly also placed third in the Rachael Alexandra S. at the Fair Grounds on February 15. The chestnut filly collected 110 points from those races on her way to the Road to the Lilies. She now leads with a total of 210.
At 16-1, Swiss Skydiver paid $34.20 to win. Venetian Harbor, trained by Richard Baltas, paid $3.80 to place second. Joel Rosario rode the Brad Cox-trained Shedaresthedevil to a third place finish with Alta’s Award finishing fourth with Ricardo Santana Jr. aboard for Steve Asmussen. More importantly for them, they were awarded points toward entry into the Kentucky Oaks with 100 to the winner, 40 for second, 20 third and 10 for fourth place.
Past The Wire Staff
Photo: Swiss Skydiver wins the Fantasy Stakes. Credit: Coady Photography
