Santa Anita Oaks Preview: Swiss Skydiver Invades Short Field

ARCADIA, CA – Midwestern invader Swiss Skydiver seeks her third consecutive graded stakes victory as she heads a field of 4 sophomore fillies going 1 1/16 miles in Saturday’s $200,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G2).

Based with trainer Ken McPeek at Churchill Downs, Swiss Skydiver’s primary opposition will likely come from Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Speech. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Speech has been second in her last three starts, including the Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) here two starts back on March 8.

A daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, Bob Baffert’s Merneith will be stretching out off a 10 1/4-length maiden score at Oaklawn Park and could be good enough to spring an upset.

Additionally, there are 170 Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifying points at stake, with the winner to receive 100, second 40, third 20 and 10 points to the fourth-place finisher. The Kentucky Oaks will be run at Churchill Downs on Friday, September 4.

The $200,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G2) with jockeys and weights in post position order:

Swiss Skydiver – Mike Smith – 124
Merneith – Drayden Van Dyke – 124
Speech – Flavien Prat – 124
Smiling Shirlee – Ruben Fuentes – 124
Regal Beauty – Abel Cedillo – 124

Smiling Shirlee, originally entered to bring the field size to five, is expected to scratch.