China Horse Club buys into G1 winner Daredevil

China Horse Club has acquired a minority interest in Grade 1 winner Daredevil, who’s set to make his 3-year-old debut in Saturday’s $200,000 Swale S. (G2) at Gulfstream.

Daredevil, More Than Ready’s dominant winner of the Champagne S. (G1) last fall at Belmont, is trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by Let’s Go Racing and WinStar Farm.

“Let’s Go Racing and WinStar are thrilled to have such an exciting new partner as China Horse Club, who recently approached us with an interest in buying into Daredevil,” said Let’s Go Racing’s Bryan Sullivan. “China Horse Club’s racing accomplishments at the highest level around the globe are nothing short of impressive.”

China Horse Club (CHC) is an emerging international Thoroughbred racing club that has bought into such recent world-class horses as three-time Group 1 winner Australia (GB), last year’s winner of the Epsom and Irish Derbies, and Parranda, last Sunday’s winner of the $3.05 million Singapore Cup (G1). 

CHC has also bought into Australian star Dissident (Aus), who captured his fourth Group 1 win earlier this month in the CF Orr Stakes (G1) Feb. 14 at Caulfield. Dissident (Aus), who’s retiring to stud this spring at Newgate Farm, is by More Than Ready’s son Sebring (Aus), a rising young sire in Australia.

“China Horse Club has already enjoyed tremendous success with a top colt from the More Than Ready sire line with Australian superstar Dissident (Aus),” said WinStar’s Elliott Walden. “So it’s a great fit to have such a top international outfit associated with an exciting young Grade 1 winner in Daredevil, who possesses such a great international pedigree,” added Walden.

Daredevil earned $345,000 last year as a 2-year-old. His 107 Beyer Speed Figure recorded in the Champagne S. (G1) represents the fastest Beyer earned by a 2-year-old colt since 2010. 

Prior to that effort, Daredevil scored an impressive 6 ¼-length debut win at Belmont, running six furlongs in 1:09 4/5 and earning a 96 Beyer – the fastest Beyer recorded by a 2-year-old first-time starter on dirt in 2014. The chestnut colt hails from the multiple Grade 1-producing Forty Niner mare Chasethewildwind, who is also the dam of Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile & Donn Handicap (G1) winner Albertus Maximus.