MISSION accomplished. Idle since a disappointing run in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff November 7, 2020, trainer Ken McPeek’s reigning Eclipse champion filly Swiss Skydiver saved ground early and went on to register a powerful 2 3/4-length victory in last Saturday’s Grade 1 US$300,000 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Robby Albarado, the four-year-old filly by Daredevil got the distance in 1:36.18 as she cruised to the wire with her ears pricked.

With Bob Baffert’s Golden Principal hustled to the lead from her number two post position, Swiss Skydiver, breaking from the rail, was attentive to the pace while fourth, just 2 1/2 lengths off the lead around the Club House turn. Third at the rail and two lengths off Golden Principal midway around the turn, Swiss Skydiver angled three-wide turning for home and surged to the lead approaching the furlong pole as she went on to a very impressive win.

“Being on the inside, circumstances dictate that you need to get away clean to get some kind of a forward position,” said Albarado, who has now ridden her in her last three races including a sensational neck victory over eventual Horse of the Year Authentic in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes October 3. “I knew we had speed in the race but if I could get her in position, get her to clip off ’12s’ every eighth [of a mile], she comes home pretty fast.

“Pretty much up the backside [at] every point I felt like she was right there with me the whole way. She was taking deep breaths around there. When I finally gave her some room there, she took off. It was all her, I was just a passenger…I look forward for the rest of the year with her.”

“Yes, she met expectations but you never know,” said McPeek, who has been at Santa Anita since Swiss Skydiver shipped in from her Gulfstream Park base on Tuesday. “The distance for me was a little bit of a worry because of the run to the first turn but Robby does know her so well – to get her in 12s, just get her into a nice rhythm and let her make her run. You can’t force anything with her, and if you go too fast early she will wilt a little bit.”

Fractions on the race were 23.14, 46.80, 1:11.19 and 1:23.54.

Purchased for US$35,000 as a Keeneland September Yearling, Swiss Skydiver, who is out of the More Than Ready mare Expo Gold, now has three Grade 1 wins and an overall mark of 13-7-3-1.