Fantasy winner, state-bred colt enter Blue Grass
A July running of the Blue Grass Stakes isn’t the only surprise on the first Saturday at Keeneland. How about the early Kentucky Oaks favorite trying to become a Kentucky Derby contender?
Trainer Ken McPeek enlivened the script for the Grade 2
$600,000 Blue Grass when he entered filly Swiss Skydiver, an Oaklawn Park stakes winner, against
12 colts and geldings. With 310 qualifying points toward a start in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, Swiss Skydiver (by young sire Daredevil) would earn 100 points for a Derby start by winning the Blue Grass (40 for second, 20 for third, 10 for fourth).
Swiss Skydiver, whose threerace winning streak includes Oaklawn Park’s Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes, gets Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith. She is the second filly to run in the Blue Grass since the race was first held at Keeneland in 1937 (Harriet Sue placed fifth in 1944).
Envoutante, an entry-level allowance winner at Churchill Downs last out, represents McPeek in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes earlier on the Keeneland Saturday card.
Referring to the coronavirus pandemic, McPeek told Daily Racing Form, “This has already been one of the weirdest years ever. Might as well add to it.”
Another Oaklawn stakes winner in the Blue Grass is Arkansas-bred Man In the Can, owned by Van Buren horsemen Rita and Everett Young. The colt’s solid Churchill Downs allowance victory June 11, from which emerged next-out Ohio Derby winner Dean Martini, prompted trainer Ron
Moquett to enter the Rainbow Stakes and Arkansas Breeders’ Championship winner. Tyler Gaffalione keeps the mount from post five.
Keeneland is running five days this week after its traditional April spring dates were scrubbed because of COVID-19. The Oaks, held on the eve of the Kentucky Derby, was pushed back to Friday, Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
“In any other year, it’s be an easy decision to just go on and run in the Ashland,” McPeek said. “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, drawing post seven, stretches out to nine furlongs, the Oaks distance, off consecutive victories at the Ashland’s
1 1/16 miles. The Kentucky Derby is a mile and a quarter and with only three filly winners: Regret
(1915), Genuine Risk (1980) and Winning Colors (1988).
Also in the Blue Grass are five horses of the current top 20 on Daily Racing Form’s weekly Derby Watch. Among them are Oaklawn stakes winner Mr. Big News and 2019 Grade 1 winner Basin, a last-out second to Charlatan in the first division of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby May 2. Swiss Skydiver carries 118 pounds, a 5-pound concession from her male opponents.
“I think it’s a modest group on
form,” McPeek told Daily Racing Form. “I think this’ll be fun. It she can jump through this hoop, maybe she’ll be a Derby horse. Let’s just hope she gets a fair run at it.”
Of Basin, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, co-owner Ryne Poncik said, “The Arkansas Derby took a lot out of him. But these last nine weeks, he’s really gotten stronger and thicker. He’s a very happy horse right now.” Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount from post eight.
Mr. Big News outran his 46-1 odds in winning the ungraded Oaklawn Stakes April 11. Trainer Bret Calhoun skipped the May 23 Matt Winn at Churchill Downs, won by the since-injured Maxfield, as the first points race for the Giant’s Causeway colt. Kentucky-based rider Mitchel Murrill pilots Mr. Big News from post four.
“He’s a horse that really started developing late in his 2-year-old year,” Calhoun said. “A lot of people still aren’t going to believe in him, but we sure do.”
Also entered is Rushie, a May 2 Oaklawn allowance winner for trainer Mike McCarthy when ridden by Joel Rosario. By Liam’s Map (same as Basin), Rushie switches to Hall of Famer Javier Castellano after running third last out in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby under Flavien Prat. Rushie goes from post 10.
Another to watch is Finnick the Fierce (post two), an Oaklawn winner through disqualification April 4 for trainer and co-owner Rey Hernandez.
Third to Nadal in the second division of the Arkansas Derby, Finnick the Fierce (by Dialed In) has Jose Ortiz aboard.
The Blue Grass, listed as race 9, is set for 4:30 p.m. CDT. Six 3-year-old fillies, some with Oaklawn ties, go in the Ashland (race 7) at 3:24 p.m.