She was in the starting gate at pretty low odds under 8% jock Patrick Christianson who was under instructions to stalk the pace and let this horse run her heart out. Patrick was extremely surprised at the big filly with her confidence and not making one bad and costly move. Not only that, but she could also run faster than any two year old debuter he had ever ridden. They were off, and Swift Kick stayed at the tail of still maiden Justalittlepeak in fourth place. At the half, Mr. Christianson was pulling extremely hard back to keep the horse from running away because he had realized the horse was special, and he knew the last thing he wanted to happen was for the horse to burn out. Finally at the three quarter mark, Swift was let free of the strangle and ran away to an 82 SP# 6 length victory. Sdmf2 knew this wasn't an ordinary horse, and could not wait to see what more this talented young horse was hiding.

 

Swift was sent off to North Korea for her stakes debut. Hopes were very high for her, and she was the favorite again. However, she had a good start but from that point on she kept falling farther and farther back. Was it that sdmf put 0.90 jockey effort to save the horse from burning out at two? Was it that her first race was so great that she had to have a bit more rest than 49 days? Or was it that the long journey from Georgia somehow affected her performance? To this day we still don't know the answer. She shipped again outside of the U.S., this time to France for an allowance. Again she lost, but narrowly and against open company. That ended her two year old season, and what followed not even sdmf2 could have probably predicted happened.

 

Swift Kick was in the winner's circle in France, having just won against twelve other three olds in France, going wire-to-wire in a very stakes type time. Her owner again gave her a shot at a stakes race after her first one being very disappointing, and this time she did not fail. She circled the racetrack like it was a workout against a small field of other top 3 year olds and again went wire to wire. California was thousands of miles away, but that did not stop sdmf from going there. Swift Kick went in the Grade One California Oaks, one of the biggest preps for the Bluegrass Oaks later in the year. She was 20-1, and not many gave her even a minute of their handicapping time. Swift was a strong fifth of fourteen, only three lengths off of the best in the west. That was when many simmers finally noticed her, but still most didn't think she could compete in the Bluegrass Oaks, let alone win it.

 

New Jersey was home of this future champion's next start, in an ungraded stakes race of little importance, and as very much expected crushed the competition in the first triple digit race of her career. Sdmf was about to give this horse the shortest rest between races she had ever experienced. The risk paid off richly, as Swifty came from off the pace to run a very close second in a Grade One 8.5 furlong race in PA, called the lool Oaks. It had some of the best fillies who were three on the east coast, and Swift Kick earned a spot to compete in Kentucky, for the biggest race of her life.

 

It was a nice hot day on the first Friday in May, and a very high crowd had come to watch the Bluegrass Oaks, a day before the Bluegrass Derby. One of the best fields ever for the race was assembled and they were off! The speediest filly Corzafair as expected took the early lead and was leaving the other 19 to chase. 11-1 Swift Kick was sitting in 5th 3 lengths off the pace under rider Olliver Albert Haack. At the half Oliver pulled the horse back a bit as Corzafair took a 1.5 length lead. They were soon into the stretch and the almost impossible had happened. A filly who most didn't know until April pulled in front by a head. Stormshaft was charging from 16th and came closer with every stride. Haack whipped one last important time, and Swift Kick won by 1/4 of a length!

 

Swift Kick had won the top 3 year old filly race in the world. Racing for the 4th time in 56 days, Swift Kick missed by half a length coming on hard in the Black Middle Flower. For the final part of the three race series, she finished a one length back 3rd in New York for the Sister Hen Stakes. She was finally known and crowned the top 3 year old filly, but was she the top filly at any age? Sdmf2 thought so, and set out to prove it.

 

Swift Kick flew to Delaware for the Smack Down Stakes against fellow three year old fillies and got a close second. After that, she went in the Birmingham Stakes in New York to prep for some future races in mind. She won that grade one race, her first in months. Five weeks before the BB Distaff, she won the Superfilly Handicap convincingly at 12-1. What was amazing about that race was that it was a win against older horses, something she had never accomplished before. No doubt the Distaff was in mind.

 

It was Breeders Bowl day in New York and three year old Swift Kick was 8-1. The best fillies and mares of any age on the planet competed. She stalked in third as usual, only 3 lengths off the lead. When she was five back at the half Paul Harzheim let go and let her run. At the stretch she pulled within two and at the end it was clear: Swift Kick had won by a measured length. The 3 year old filly award was even more possible now.

 

In mid-December, Swift Kick made her final start of the year against boys in the Delaware Mile. At 5-1 she finished a game second, and ended a very terrific year for this filly. Will she do that well this year? Swift just got a close fourth in the very well known Fair Warning Handicap, and her times were just as good as before. This filly could definitely be a contender next year and for years to come.

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Swift Kick's 2005 Campaign

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PP
	SWIFT KICK	ID# 32639		( - - - - )

sdmf2

3 Year Old Filly

(SUMMER SQUALL x CRAFTY PROSPECTOR x HALO)

Divisional Ranking:	10000				Races	Wins	Places	Shows	Earnings
Low Tag/Year:	N/A			Total	16	8	4	1	$3,159,588
Non M/C/O/S Wins:	7			Dirt	16	8	4	1	$3,159,588
				Turf	0	0	0	0	$0
				Routes	13	7	4	1	$3,152,740
				Sprints	3	1	0	0	$6,848

Past Performances:

Race ID	Trk	RST	S	D	Race	Time	SP#	#	PP	C1	C2	C3	FIN	Jockey	Odds
2706.2216	DE	3yo+	D	8	DelPenn Champions Day - The Delaware Mile -G1-c	1:34 1/5	108	14	7	7 2-1/4	7 2-3/4	2 2-1/2	2 1-1/2	sdmf2	Z Wylde	5.90
2657.0413	NY	F-3yo+	D	9	Breeders Bowl Distaff -G1-c	1:46 2/5	118	14	1	3 3-1/2	3 5-1/4	2 2	1 1	sdmf2	P Harzheim	8.70
2622.0415	NY	F-3yo+	D	8.5	Superfilly Handicap -G1-c	1:41 2/5	109	14	11	5 2-1/2	5 3	1 1-1/4	1 1-3/4	sdmf2	N Lawton	12.30
2587.0414	NY	F-3yo	D	10	Birmingham Stakes -G1-c	2:02 2/5	100	14	12	9 3-1/2	8 5	3 1-1/2	1 3-1/4	sdmf2	R Foster	4.20
2566.2212	DE	F-3yo	D	9	GR Simsters/DelPenn Smackdown Oaks -- Owner Restricted -Stk-c	1:48 1/5	104	14	10	7 2-3/4	6 4	5 1-3/4	2 1-3/4	sdmf2	H Ross	3.20
2538.0415	NY	F-3yo	D	9	Sister Hen Stakes -G1-c	1:48	105	11	1	5 4	5 6	3 5	3 1	sdmf2	N Lawton	4.00
2496.0814	MD	F-3yo	D	9	Black Middle Flower Stk -G1-c	1:48 1/5	104	14	10	7 3-1/2	6 5-1/4	5 4	2 1/2	sdmf2	J Stivers	5.10
2482.0314	KY	F-3yo	D	9	Bluegrass Oaks -G1-c	1:47 3/5	110	20	14	5 3	4 4-1/2	2 2-3/4	1 1/4	sdmf2	O A Haack	11.20
2461.1215	PA	F-3yo	D	8.5	lool Oaks -G1-c	1:41 3/5	107	14	5	8 4-1/4	8 6-1/4	4 4	2 1-1/4	sdmf2	B Hebert	8.70
2447.091	NJ	F-3yo	D	8	The SENORITA NOP DROP Special -Stk-c	1:35 1/5	103	8	8	3 3-1/2	3 4-3/4	2 3/4	1 1-1/2	sdmf2	M Salisbury	3.70
2419.0115	CA	F-3yo	D	8.5	California Oaks -G1-c	1:42 3/5	99	14	2	9 4-1/4	9 6-1/2	5 5-1/2	5 3	sdmf2	R Lombard	19.20
2377.511	DB	F-3yo	D	8	The QUEEN BUSHEL Challenge -Stk-c	1:36 2/5	94	5	3	1 1/2	1 1-1/4	1 2-1/2	1 1-1/4	sdmf2	Q Belfatto	3.70
2356.6211	FR	F-3yo	D	9	Alw-30400NW2L -c	1:50 4/5	90	13	13	3 2	2 2-1/2	1 hd	1 2-1/4	sdmf2	J Delaney	4.40

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