Preakness 2020: What Video Replay Shows for Swiss Skydiver's Chances in 2021

Swiss Skydiver won the Preakness Stakes on Saturday by holding off Kentucky Derby winner Authentic down the stretch.

The filly rolled out of the gate strong and found herself on the inside rail at the back of a five-horse pack that paced the race. After the half-mile mark, the seas parted, and Swiss Skydiver charged through the group to take the lead.

"If I make that move now, I got a shot," jockey Robby Albarado said in retrospect, per Joe Drape of the New York Times. "If I wait, I get smothered."

From there, it was a two-horse race between Swiss Skydiver and Authentic. The filly needed to hold off the pre-race favorite on the final turn and down the stretch to reign victorious, and she did so with an incredible run to win in a photo finish at 1:53.28 by a neck.

Authentic finished nearly 10 lengths ahead of Jesus' Team, who took third, per Equibase.

Swiss Skydiver's result is more impressive when considering that Albarado filled in as a last-minute replacement, per Drape. Injuries forced him out of the spotlight and into smaller events, but he got a call to the big time for Saturday and delivered.

"It was genius move by Robby," Swiss Skydiver trainer Kenny McPeek said. "He saw a hole and the rail, and she took him there."

The video replay proves that Swiss Skydiver ran a tremendous race, showcasing the endurance and speed to hold off a Kentucky Derby champion. In concert with her jockey, the filly arguably put forth the performance of the year.

Swiss Skydiver has seen success in the past, with wins in six of her 11 races. Five of her past seven races resulted in wins, with the two other finishes ending with second-placed results. She notably won the Alabama Stakes and took second in the Kentucky Oaks.

Ultimately, Swiss Skydiver's recent results and Preakness triumph should foreshadow more wins (or at least more top-three finishes).

It's unclear what her schedule looks like for the rest of 2020 and 2021, but McPeek gave an idea into what it could possibly be in this calendar year, per the Associated Press (h/t the Salt Lake Tribune):

"Swiss Skydiver made it so each Triple Crown race in 2020 had a different winner. McPeek said he likely wouldn't have entered her in the Preakness had Belmont winner Tiz the Law run, but trainer Barclay Tagg gave him a rest to point him to the Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 7.

"Swiss Skydiver is a candidate to challenge them in the Breeders' Cup Classic or could face older fillies and mares in the Distaff. McPeek is leaning toward the Distaff but will give it some time to make that decision and enjoy the big victory his horse gave him in the Preakness."

Swiss Skydiver would likely be an underdog in the Breeders' Cup Classic, as Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law is arguably the best three-year-old horse around. However, she would be a solid contender, especially after taking down Authentic, who ruined Tiz the Law's Triple Crown chances in September at the Derby.

As for the Distaff, Swiss Skydiver would be the heavy favorite, as she's inarguably the top filly or mare in horse racing following her Triple Crown race win.

As for 2021, it's unknown what Swiss Skydiver will do. The hope is she stays healthy enough to continue racing and avoids the same fate as 2018 Preakness winner Justify, who retired because of an ankle injury.

Some recent Preakness-winning horses have raced more often than others with varying levels of success.

Cloud Computing, the 2017 winner, raced just twice as a four-year-old and never finished better than fourth. War of Will, the 2019 winner, ran three races and won one: the Makers Mark Mile. Exaggerator was retired before turning four in 2016 and entered stud.

Swiss Skydiver's excellent recent finishes indicate a bright future for the filly, especially when considering how much history she made on just one day.

PerMatt Bonesteelof theWashington Post, she's the first filly to win the Preakness since Rachel Alexandra in 2009 and the 12th to win any Triple Crown race, all of which have been running since 1875. And according to Childs Walker of the Baltimore Sun, Swiss Skydiver's 1:53.28 time was the second-fastest in the Preakness' history behind Secretariat, considered the best racehorse in history. Secretariat, a Triple Crown winner in 1973, clocked a 1:53.00 time.

That's great company for any horse to find itself in, and the guess here is that we will see Swiss Skydiver in more winner's circles before too long.