Daredevil

Daredevil to Stand at Lane's End for 2021

One of the top second-crop sires Daredevil (More Than Ready--Chasethewildwind, by Forty Niner) will relocate to Lane's End Farm for the 2021 breeding season. The GI Champagne S. victor will stand for $25,000. Sire of 3-year-old sensations Swiss Skydiver and Shedaresthedevil, Daredevil is third on the North American-based, second-crop sire behind only American Pharoah and Constitution with just over half as many starters. Daredevil is the only first-crop sire to ever sire an individual winner of the GI Kentucky Oaks and the GI Preakness S. in the same year. Swiss...

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Taking Stock: The Daredevil Syndrome

You know this adage well: "Sell a stallion overseas and he'll catch fire." The latest example is Daredevil (More Than Ready), whose remarkable first-crop daughter Swiss Skydiver put on a show for the ages on Saturday to deny Gl Kentucky Derby winner Authentic (Into Mischief) the Gl Preakness S. at Pimlico. Trained by a daredevil in Kenny McPeek, Swiss Skydiver and Authentic engaged in a protracted head-to-head stretch duel, but the filly never let Authentic get the better of her at any stage and won the Classic by a neck,...

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Swiss Skydiver Gets the Better of Authentic in Stirring Preakness Stretch Drive

Only five fillies had managed to take home the blanket of black-eyed susans in the previous 144 runnings of the GI Preakness S. and the last to do so was Hall of Famer Rachel Alexandra, who beat GI Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird by a length in the 2009 renewal. However, in 2020, a year of upsets and the unconventional, a filly took down the Derby winner yet again with Oaks runner-up Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) getting the better of Derby hero Authentic (Into Mischief) in an epic stretch battle...

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TDN Q&A: WinStar's Elliott Walden

WinStar Farm has had many big years, but this one may prove its biggest to date. Kenny Troutt's operation has bred, raised and offered for sale four 2020 Grade I winners: Sept. 5 GI Woodward H. hero Global Campaign (Curlin); Paris Lights (Curlin), who led home a one-two for WinStar Stablemates in July's GI Coaching Club American Oaks; and Shedaresthedevil and Swiss Skydiver, who completed the exacta for their former WinStar-based stallion Daredevil in last Friday's GI Longines Kentucky Oaks. Plus, it co-campaigns GI Hollywood Gold Cup S. and GI...

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A Devil of a Finish in the Oaks

Heavy favorite Gamine (Into Mischief)'s stiffest competition in Friday's GI Kentucky Oaks figured to come from a daughter of Daredevil--just not 15-1 Shedaresthedevil, who led home a one-two for her exported stallion over second choice Swiss Skydiver. The Flurry Racing Stables LLC, Qatar Racing Limited and Big Aut Farms representative covered the nine furlongs at Churchill Downs in an Oaks record of 1:48.28 (Bird Town, 2003, 1:48.64). The winning margin was 1 1/2 lengths, with the same margin back to 7-10 Gamine in third. Trainer Brad Cox and rider Florent...

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Swiss Skydiver Confirmed for Oaks

Saturday's GI Alabama S. romper Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) will contest the Sept. 4 GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, according to the New York Racing Association press department. Trainer Kenny McPeek indicated immediately after the Alabama that that would likely be the next spot for the Peter Callahan colorbearer, but hadn't at that time ruled out facing males in the GI Kentucky Derby. The GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, GIII Fantasy S. and GII Santa Anita Oaks winner and GII Toyota Blue Grass S. runner-up was doing well Sunday according to McPeek's assistant...

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Swiss Skydiver Romps in the Alabama

A week after GI Kentucky Oaks contender Gamine (Into Mischief) romped home in the GI Test S., fellow sophomore filly standout Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) produced a jaw-dropping victory of her own with an effortless victory in the GI Alabama S.--a Win and You're In race for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff--Saturday at Saratoga. "She's just really special," said winning trainer Ken McPeek. "Every time we take here over there, she does what you ask her to. She seems to be getting bigger and stronger as the year goes. She's...

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Swiss Skydiver to Take on Boys in the Blue Grass

The filly Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) will be out to make history Saturday when she takes on males in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland. No filly has ever won the prestigious race. Trainer Kenny McPeek had nominated Swiss Skydiver for both the Blue Grass and the GI Ashland S. for fillies. He waited until Wednesday morning, shortly before the draw, to make his decision. He said a major factor was that he has another filly for the Ashland in Envoutante (Uncle Mo). "In any other year, this would...

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Blue Grass a Possibility for Swiss Skydiver

Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) has been nominated for both the GI Central Bank Ashland S. and GII Toyota Blue Grass S., both to be run July 11 at Keeneland, and trainer Ken McPeek said he will give strong consideration to both races for his 3-year-old filly. "I'll probably run her in the Ashland, but there are a lot of things to consider," McPeek said. "For one, I have another nice filly for the Ashland in Envoutante (Uncle Mo). With all these 3-year-old races being run around the same time, I'd imagine...

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Sky High in the Oaks

Peter Callahan's streaking Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) headlines a compact field of five set for Saturday's GII Santa Anita Oaks. The rail-drawn chestnut ships in from trainer Ken McPeek's Kentucky base after posting a pair of impressive upsets in the GII Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Park Oaks Mar. 28 and GIII Fantasy S. at Oaklawn May 1, respectively. She earned a field-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure after stalking and pouncing and defeating the talented Venetian Harbor (Munnings) by 2 1/2 lengths in the latter. Hall of Famer Mike Smith picks up the mount...

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Impressive Santa Anita Maiden Winner on the Comeback Trail

Devil Made Me Doit (Daredevil) put on a show with a 'TDN Rising Star' performance in the lid lifter on Santa Anita's opening day program back on Dec. 28--feels like a lifetime ago, doesn't it--but where has he been since? "He came out of his race with a little P1 [ankle chip]," said Ciaran Dunne, who campaigns the 3-year-old colt in partnership with Reddam Racing. "We took it out and he went to Ocean Breeze-Mr. Reddam's farm in California--to recuperate. We gave him a little extra time because all that...

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Into Mischief Filly Debuts Victoriously at Gulfstream

2nd-Gulfstream, $40,000, Msw, 5-14, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f, :52.39, ft. DAYOUTOFTHEOFFICE (f, 2, Into Mischief--Gottahaveadream, by Indian Charlie), one of a trio of horses sent off the joint-second favorite at odds of 3-1, won the break and was never headed en route to a 4 3/4-length debut success Thursday at Gulfstream Park. Quickly into stride from the three hole, the dark bay set the pace along the inside, tracked intently by fellow 3-1 chances Acting Lucky (Tapizar) and Rock With Robin (Vancouver {Aus}) deepest on the track. She shrugged off...

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