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| Staff Writer |
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Last year's Preakness Stakes heroine Swiss Skydiver was the star of Katsumi Yoshida's purchases at The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's marquee breeding stock sale in Lexington Nov. 9. The 4YO daughter of Daredevil sold for $4.7 million, the third-highest price of the sale, and helped add to the six-mare haul by Japan's Yoshida that grossed $12,725,000.
Astute horseman Kenny McPeek bought Swiss Skydiver for only $35,000 from the Select Sales consignment at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Campaigned in the silks of Peter Callahan, Swiss Skydiver racked up over $2.2 million on the track with victories in the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Park Oaks, Fantasy Stakes, Santa Anita Oaks, and Alabama Stakes in addition to the Preakness in 2020, as well as the 2021 Beholder Mile. Her Preakness time of 1:53.28 for 1 3/16 miles was second only to Secretariat, and she defeated the eventual Horse of the Year Authentic in that effort.
Shingo Hashimoto, manager of international affairs for the Yoshida family's Northern Farm, said Swiss Skydiver was the pick of the sale.
Hashimoto said Swiss Skydiver will head to Japan with breeding plans still to be decided.
Swiss Skydiver was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm out of the Johannesburg mare Expo Gold, who also produced stakes-placed Miss Hot Legs.