Swiss Skydiver strolls in Santa Anita Oaks; Four Graces on top in Dogwood

Jun 06, 2020 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

Swiss Skydiver's current domination of the 3-year-old filly division has now made its way from coast-to-coast after the Kenny McPeek trainee cruised in Saturday's $196,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G2).

The 3-5 favorite off back-to-back wins in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) and Fantasy (G3) at Oaklawn Park, Swiss Skydiver met just three rivals and led throughout under Mike Smith. Setting fractions of :22.82, :46.55, and 1:10.82, Swiss Skydiver won by four lengths and finished up 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:43.20.

Owned by Peter Callahan, Swiss Skydiver paid $3.20. The only change in the running order occurred in upper stretch, when Speech advanced from third to the runner-up spot over Merneith. Regal Beauty trailed throughout.

Earning an additional 100 Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifying points, Swiss Skydiver has now accumulated 310 points in total for the Sept. 4 feature at Churchill Downs. Speech earned 40 points, boosting her total to 60. Recent maiden winners Merneith and Regal Beauty earned 20 and 10 points, respectively.

Swiss Skydiver has now earned $557,980 from a line of 7-4-1-1. A $35,000 Keeneland September yearling bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, she's by Daredevil and out of Expo Gold, by Johannesburg.

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A smaller share of Kentucky Oaks points were on offer in the $100,000 Dogwood (G3) at Churchill Downs, which saw Four Graces repel a stretch challenge by the favorite Edgeway to take her stakes debut in the 7-furlong test.

Taking the lead soon after leaving the backstretch chute, Four Graces set fractions of :22.27 and :44.84 befor finishing up 2 1/2 lengths ahead in 1:22.28 over a fast track. A homebred racing for Whitham Thoroughbreds, trained by Ian Wilkes, and ridden by Julien Leparoux, Four Graces paid $6.60.

This was the third win in four starts for Four Graces, who earned 20 Oaks qualifying points. Runner-up Edgeway earned eight points, while Bayerness and Lady Glamour earned four points and two points, respectively.

All three of Four Graces' victories have been over 7 furlongs, the others being a Mar. 1 maiden at Gulfstream and a May 16 allowance win at Churchill. Her only setback was a fourth in a one-mile allowance at Gulfstream in April.

'She's by Majesticperfection, so I think it may be on the one-turn side,' said Wilkes regarding Four Graces' pedigree. 'We have three months to think about (stretching her out).'

Out of the Grade 3-placed Ivory Empress, by Seeking the Gold, Four Graces is a half-sister to Grade 2 scorer McCraken, a Kentucky Derby (G1) contender for the connections several years ago.