Wild Risk (1940–1967) was a French-bred thoroughbred racehorse who became a leading sire and Professional Chef-de-race.
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Background
Wild Risk was a medium-to-small horse. His right front hoof tended towards being a club foot, and his shoulders were a bit upright and narrow. He had long cannon bones and a very good temperament.
His sire Rialto won the Prix d'Ispahan and ran second in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe before becoming an important stallion.
Wild Violet, Wild Risk's dam, was a winner, sired by Blandford out of the good winner Wood Violet.
Racing career
Wild Risk raced in German-occupied France during the Second World War.
He broke his maiden as a two-year-old at odds of 100/1 after four poor prior starts.
Wild Risk was a good stakes winner on the flat and also performed well over jumps, winning the Grand Course de Haies d'Auteuil twice in 1944 and 1945. Despite this, he wasn't considered to be of the highest caliber of racehorse, at least on the flat. He was thought to be one of the best French hurdlers during the war.
Stud career
Wild Risk was considered to be a poor sire prospect when he was retired. He was among the leading sires in France multiple times, leading the list for flat sires 1961 and 1964 and the list for jumpers in 1966. He was named a Professional Chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller Dosage System. He sired 123 mares who went on to produce 633 foals, of which 152 (24%) were winners. His broodmare sire AEI was 1.58 and CI was 1.48. He died in 1967.
Notable progeny
Balto, winner of the Ascot Gold Cup and Grand Prix de Paris
Waldmeister, winner of the Prix du Cadran, La Coupe, and Prix Gladiateur; leading sire in Brazil
Worden, winner of the Prix du Conseil Municipal and Washington D. C. International Stakes; Chef-de-race
Le Fabuleux, winner of the Prix du Jockey Club, Criterium de Saint-Cloud, and Prix Lupin; Chef-de-race
Vimy, winner of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Prix Noailles
Fils D'Eve, winner of the Derby Italiano
Almyre, winner of the Prix Omnium
Wild Miss, winner of the Prix Vermeille
Notable progeny of daughters
Blushing Groom, winner of the Prix Robert Papin, Prix Morny, Prix de la Salamandre, Grand Criterium, Poule d'Essai des Poulains, etc.; Chef-de-race