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Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Swiss Skydiver, the only filly in the race, capped off the strangest-ever Triple Crown series by defeating Kentucky Derby winner Authentic in Saturday's Preakness Stakes after a tight duel down the Pimlico Race Course stretch. She became only the sixth filly to win the race, and left the Triple Crown with three different winners in as many events. Into the bargain, long shot Jesus' Team edged Art Collector for third.
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It was an emotionally satisfying finish for winning trainer Kenny McPeek, jockey Robby Albarado, who had never before ridden Swiss Skydiver, and owner Peter Callahan. It also seemed a fitting climax to a Triple Crown that was scrambled by the pandemic cancellations and travel restrictions.
For trainer Bob Baffert, seeking his seventh Preakness win, Authentic's narrow loss was a low point following the euphoria of his win at Churchill Downs.
Swiss Skydiver, a daughter of Daredevil, came to Baltimore for the Preakness with some question marks. She won the Santa Anita Oaks in June, then finished second behind Art Collector when sent out against male competition in the Blue Grass at Keeneland in July.
She returned to win the prestigious Alabama at Saratoga but then was second in the Kentucky Oaks -- a race McPeek thought she could have won with a bit more racing luck.
She won the Preakness thanks not to luck but to a bold move by Albarado, who sent her between rivals on the stretch turn to challenge Authentic, who looked to have a head of steam turning for home.
The move put Swiss Skydiver right alongside the Derby winner and they came down the stretch as a team. At the finish, Swiss Skydiver had just enough to hold off Authentic. It was a long way back to Jesus' Team and Art Collector.
In the Kentucky Derby, Authentic was allowed to get away to an easy lead and had no trouble holding on in the stretch run, winning by 1 1/4 lengths.
In the Preakness, Thousand Words, a stablemate in the Baffert barn, provided pace pressure before fading late in the run down the backstretch just as Swiss Skydiver was making her move.
McPeek credited Albarado' decision to mount an early challenge.
"It was a genius move by Robby," McPeek said. "It looked like she took him there."
Albarado said the hole that opened in front of him was "an opportunity. I had to decide whether to make that move or wait. I made a conscious decision down the backside. Do I make that move now or do I wait to see if they come back to me?"
Baffert said of Authentic, "We had to get the lead. He runs better on the lead." He added that jockey John Velazquez said, "When he went to pick it up, he didn't have it today."
McPeek said Swiss Skydiver, who had raced at eight tracks from Florida to California in 10 previous starts, never seems to tire from her efforts.
"I've been doing this for 35 years," he said. "Usually horses come back tired from races like this. Not this filly. She makes me tired, dragging me around the barn. I'm just so proud of her."
The upset left the Triple Crown with three different winners.
Tiz the Law won the Belmont, which normally is the anchor leg of the series, June 20. Authentic, who did not contest the Belmont, beat Tiz the Law in the Derby, which was postponed from the first Saturday in May to the first Saturday in September. Tiz the Law then did not run in the Preakness.
This was the sixth time Baffert has brought a Derby winner to the Preakness. All five previous years, he won. And he was confident going in that this year would be no different, describing Authentic as "a keg of dynamite" ready to explode in the race.
The Preakness winner receives a free entry into the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 7 at Keeneland.
Authentic already was in that race through a victory in the Grade I Haskell at Monmouth Park in July. McPeek did not say immediately what plans he has for Swiss Skydiver, but the Classic now joins the Distaff among the possibilities.
