DAREDEVIL was not a stallion about whom I knew a great deal before now. After six seasons at WinStar Farms in the USA, where his fee fell from an initial $12,500 in 2016 to $7,500 last year, he was sold, along with Super Saver, to the Jockey Club of Turkey in November.

Now based at one of their farms, Karacabey, where his fee this year was 12,500 Turkish lira or approximately €1,400, Daredevil was extremely popular and covered 125 mares.

He is one of 10 stallions under the TJK umbrella for the 2020 season, and the list contains a number of well-known names. The roster is completed by Authorized, Banknote, Bodemeister, Cuvee, Lion Heart, Myboycharlie, Powerscourt, Super Saver and Victory Gallop.

Karacabey is the largest boarding stud farm within the group of TJK farms. Next March it will be 20 years in operation and the property extends to more than 1,200 acres. Between 600 and 700 mares are covered at the farm each year, about half of which are permanent residents. The farm is essentially self-contained and is home to an equine hospital. Some 200 members of staff ensure its smooth running.

Daredevil romped to victory in a maiden special at Belmont at two, putting six lengths and more between himself and his opponents. Shortly afterwards he added the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes to his tally, winning by more than two lengths. Just six weeks or so after his debut he was contesting the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on dirt but that proved a bridge too far.

He made just a pair of starts at three, finishing second in the Grade 2 Swale Stakes before running fourth behind Frosted in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial. Raced in partnership by the China Horse Club, Daredevil was their first stallion at stud in the USA. A son of More Than Ready (Southern Halo), he is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Albertus Maximus (Albert The Great).

Daredevil made a good start at stud last year, his first crop of 73 named foals yielded a host of winners, led by the dual stakes winning colt Deviant. This year’s second crop also includes a dual stakes winning juvenile, his daughter Esplanade, while that initial crop also contains the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks and Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes winner Shedaresthedevil and Daredevil’s best runner, Swiss Skydiver.

The latter has a growing reputation among this year’s sophomore fillies in the USA. Bred by WinStar Farm and sold for $35,000 as a yearling at Keeneland, Swiss Skydiver is already approaching the $1 million mark in earnings and she, along with the aforementioned Shedaresthedevil, are now leading fancies for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. Swiss Skydiver is vying with Grade 1 Test Stakes winner Gamine for favouritism.

Winner on her debut at two and placed second next time out, Swiss Skydiver only tackled stakes company this year. She has already been busy, starting seven times, and she has won four times, all at graded stakes level, with her weekend success in the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes being her standout run. She also won the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks.

In the year in which she foaled Swiss Skydiver, Expo Gold (Johannesburg) was sold carrying a full-brother for just $13,000 at Keeneland. She was sold on again in January 2019 in California carrying a first crop colt by Grade 2 winner Danzing Candy (Twirling Candy), and she was covered this year by More Than Ready’s Grade 1 winning son Catholic Boy. This was a significant upgrade and Catholic Boy has just completed his first season at Claiborne at $25,000.