Grade 1 Winner, Sire Daredevil Dies at 14

Grade 1 winner and sire Daredevil died Sept. 10 in Turkey, where the 14-year-old stallion was standing at stud, the Jockey Club of Turkey announced Thursday. No cause of death was given. A son of the versatile More Than Ready, Daredevil debuted a winner at 2 before taking the 2014 Champagne Stakes (G1) in his second start for trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Let's Go Stable. WinStar Farm and China Horse Club later joined in his ownership, and the colt was retired to stud at WinStar Farm at the end of his 3-year-old season with a 2-1-0 record in five starts and earnings of $424,600. He was sold to the Jockey Club of Turkey in 2019 when his first foals were 2, and the following year his daughters Swiss Skydiver and Shedaresthedevil led the 3-year-old filly ranks. Shedaresthedevil topped a Daredevil exacta in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) with Swiss Skydiver just 1 1/2 lengths behind in second. Four weeks later in a COVID-affected racing schedule, Swiss Skydiver defeated males, including Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Authentic, in the Preakness Stakes (G1) on her way to champion 3-year-old filly honors. Off that success and after just one season at stud in Turkey, Daredevil, still under the ownership of the Jockey Club of Turkey, returned to the United States to stand at Lane's End in 2021. After four seasons there, he returned to Turkey to stand at Izmit Stallion Station for the 2025 season. Through Sept. 10, Daredevil has sired 194 winners and 10 black-type winners with total progeny earnings of more than $21 million.