Urban Sea, Arc heroine and dam of Galileo, dead By Nancy Sexton4.38PM 4 MAR 2009
THE breeding industry lost an outstanding matriarch on Monday when Urban Sea, winner of the 1993 Arc and dam of Galileo, died at the Irish National Stud following complications after foaling a colt by Invincible Spirit. The daughter of Miswaki was 20-years-old.
The colt isreported to be in healthy condition and has been placed on a nurse mare.
"Everybody at the stud is absolutely devastated," said Julie Lynch, stallion nominations manager at the Irish National Stud. "We were all immensely proud to be associated with such an outstanding broodmare. A mare like her comes along but once in a lifetime. Her foal is such a smashing colt, he weighed in at 130lbs and his nurse mare has accepted him without a fuss."
While Urban Sea is not alone in compiling an outstanding record at stud, few mares are able to place it hand in hand with a top-class career on the track.
"She was the mare who answered back," said Tony Morris, the Racing Post's bloodstock columnist. "We called her the most forgettable of Arc winners. She kept giving us reasons to remember her."
Trained by Jean Lesbordes for owner David Tsui, Urban Sea spent the majority of her racing career in France,where she won eight races and the equivalent of £1,331,775 in prize-money.
Although precocious enough to win as a juvenile, she improved with age, taking two Listed races before finishing three-quarters of a length adrift ofJolypha in the Prix Vermeille as a three-year-old.
A win in the Prix Exbury on her four-year-old debut saw her resume winning ways and she wasn't disgraced when a close second to Placerville in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes.
However, although successful in the Prix Gontaut Biron during Deauville's summer meeting, she didn't appeal as a Group 1 winner waiting to happen and consequently was sent off at 37/1 for that year's Arc, which featured a 23-strong field including the Group 1 winners White Muzzle, Opera House, Intrepidity and Hernando among others.
As it turned out however, Urban Sea peaked at the right time, and after taking up the running a furlong out under Eric Saint-Martin, she bravely repelled the challenge of White Muzzle to cross the line a neck in front, earning European champion older mare honours in the process.
Kept in training for another season, she rewarded connections with a win in the Prix d'Harcourt.
URBAN SEA'S PRODUCE RECORD
Year Sire Name Notable races won 1996 Bering c Urban Ocean Gallinule S. - Gr3 1997 Lammtarra f Melikah Pretty Polly S. - L, 3rd Oaks - Gr1 1998 Sadler's Wells c Galileo Derby - Gr1, Irish Derby - Gr1, King George - Gr1 etc. Champion sire 1999 Sadler's Wells c Black Sam Bellamy Gran Premio del Jockey Club - Gr1, Tattersalls Gold Cup - Gr1. Sire 2000 Sadler's Wells c Atticus Unraced 2001 Sadler's Wells f All Too Beautiful Middleton S. - Gr3, 2nd Oaks - Gr1 2002 Giant's Causeway f My Typhoon Diana H'cap - G1, Mrs. Reverse S. - G2, Just A Game S. - G2 etc 2004 Green Desert f Cherry Hinton 2nd Blue Wind S. - Gr3 2005 Green Desert c Sea's Legacy Unraced 2006 Cape Cross c Sea The Stars Beresford S. - Gr2 2009 Invincible Spirit bay colt
Urban Sea's first mate when she retired to stud in 1995 was the Prix du Jockey-Club hero Bering, to whom she produced Urban Ocean, the first of seven winners and eight black-type performers out of the mare.
Five of those achieved a win or placing at Group/Grade 1 level led by My Typhoon, who became the most expensive filly foal ever sold at auction when knocked down to Live Oak Stable for 1.8m guineas at the 2002 Tattersalls December Foal Sale, and the Oaks-placed pair All Too Beautiful and Melikah. The latter topped the 1998 Deauville August Sale after selling for Ffr10,000,000 to Gainsborough Stud.
However, it is as the dam of dual Derby winner Galileo for which Urban Sea will be forever remembered.
Now based at Coolmore Stud, the son of Sadler's Wells has slipped effortlessly into the role of heir to his sire thanks to a first sires' championship last year and ten Group/Grade 1 winners including Classic scorers New Approach, Sixties Icon, Soldier Of Fortune, Cima De Triomphe and Nightime.
His year younger brother, Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Black Sam Bellamy, was also represented by a first Classic winner last year when Valdino scored in the Deutsches St Leger.
Urban Sea's most recent progeny to race, the three-year-old colt Sea The Stars, has every chance of following that illustrious pair if his juvenile season was any indication. The son of Cape Cross won two of his three starts for John Oxx including theBeresford Stakes and is as short at 6/1 for the Derby.
As the daughter of influential broodmare sire Miswaki and noted producer Allegretto, herself the dam of 2,000 Guineas winner King's Best and ancestress of Group 1 winners Anabaa Blue, Anzillero and Tamayuz, Urban Sea was better equipped than most to become an important producer.
But her achievements must never be under-rated, if only because it will be several years before we can accurately gauge the extent of her influence. While Urban Ocean and Black Sam Bellamy cater for the dual-purpose sphere as stallions, Galileo has the potential to lead the sires' list for many years to come. In addition, there is also surely a stud berth waiting for Sea The Stars when the time comes.
Urban Sea maybe dead but she will be with us for a while yet.
Galileo was the best Derby winner since Shergar. Kinane basically admitted it this year after STS won. He recalled " he went around Epsom that day like he was on a motorbike". His sibling has ultimately proved to a better horse but that day Galileo was perfection.
Galileo was the best Derby winner since Shergar. Kinane basically admitted it this year after STS won. He recalled " he went around Epsom that day like he was on a motorbike". His sibling has ultimately proved to a better horse but that day Galileo w
I visited the Irish National Stud a few years ago with the family, and while wandering around the grounds we came across a few stables.
One of the stable was empty, but there was a sign on the door.
"Cape Cross visiting Urban Sea. Foaled 6th April"
In the field by the side of the stables was a mare and foal. We stood looking at them for a while, and then walked off to see the rest of the National Stud.
Sometimes you don't realise what you're looking at.
I visited the Irish National Stud a few years ago with the family, and while wandering around the grounds we came across a few stables.One of the stable was empty, but there was a sign on the door."Cape Cross visiting Urban Sea. Foaled 6th April"In t
he was a smashing horse over 12f and a brilliant sire
sea the stars is now the most versatile champion but would he off beaten galileo around epsom or ascot
neigh
however we can never judge horses from two eras accuarately- galileo was my fave-sea the stars is unreal
what a mammy
hey no dissing galileohe was a smashing horse over 12f and a brilliant siresea the stars is now the most versatile champion but would he off beaten galileo around epsom or ascotneighhowever we can never judge horses from two eras accuarately- galileo
Did a fall out occur between the owners of See The Stars and Coolmore?Coolmore seem to have all her off-spring for a time at Ballydoyle and then they race the last few and give them to John Oxx to train.Whatever reasons,they have well and truly hit another jackpot.
Also,would Coolmore be interested in See The Stars as a sire as he is by Cape Cross,or would they use him as a half brother to promote their own Galileo?
Did a fall out occur between the owners of See The Stars and Coolmore?Coolmore seem to have all her off-spring for a time at Ballydoyle and then they race the last few and give them to John Oxx to train.Whatever reasons,they have well and truly hit a