The Family of Galileo by Bill Lathrop

The Family of Galileo

by Bill Lathrop ©

This year's Epsom Derby winner finally gave the outstanding sire Sadler's Wells his first winner of that classic race. Sadler's Wells has had a marvelous career at stud and deserves his place in history. My interest, however, lies in the remarkable female family that combined so beautifully with Sadler's Wells, producing the running machine known as Galileo.

Gallileo's dam, Urban Sea (1989) by Miswaki ex Allegretta (1978) by Lombard, beat the boys in winning the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. The breeding of Urban Sea to Sadler's Wells produced a cross of Native Dancer, Nasrullah and the half-siblings, Bimelech and Businesslike, both out of the grand dame La Troienne. Urban Sea was the result of a cross of Prince Rose, and the half-siblings Hyperion and Pharamond II, who were produced by the great mare Selene. The mare, Allegretta was stakes-placed (second in the Johnnie Walker Oaks Trial, G3 in England) and produced, in addition to Urban Sea, two other good fillies, the stakes-placed Turbaine (1990), the stakes winner Allez Les Trois, and the 2,000 Guineas winner King's Best (1997) by Kingmambo.

Allegretta was the result of a mating between the chestnut stakes-winning mare Anatevka (GER) (1969), and the two time winner of the Grosser Preis von Baden, Espresso (1958) by Acropolis (1952) ex Babylon (1940) by Bahram (1932). Anatevka was a marvel in the breeding shed, producing no less that three stakes winners and four stakes placed winners, including the front running chestnut Anno (1979) by Lombard, who won the Deutches St Leger among other group wins, and the multi-stakes winner Anatas (1980) by Priamos, who also did his best running when allowed to get loose on the lead.

Anatevka had a cross to the mare Dutch Mary (1915), by the top stayer William The Third ex the great, great, Pretty Polly (1901). Dutch Mary was the dam of Duccia Di Buoninsegna (among other good ones), who was purchased by the master, Frederico Tesio. She was a stakes winner in Italy and was the first in a chain of four winners of the Premio Elena, followed by her daughter Delleana, grandaughter Dossa, and great granddaughter Dagherotipia. Delleana (1925) by Clarissimus was the dam of the stakes winning and stakes producing mare Donatella III by Mahmoud (dam of Derby Italiano winner and sire Daumier), and the influential sire and broodmare sire Donatello II (the sire of Crepello, Alycidon, Donatrice ,Orestes III, etc.).

Anatevka's dam Almyra (1962), also a chestnut, by Birkhahn, was a stakes winner and the dam of seven foals, all winners, including the stakes winning stayer Aldebaran (1971) by Mercurius, who won both over the hurdles and the flat, and the stakes winning miler, Atuco by Espresso, who was considered the best miler of his generation. The next dam Alameda (1951) by Magnat ex Asterblute (1946) by Pharis was a winner, and bred nine foals, nine starters and six winners, including the stakes winner Almyra, above.

Asterblute won the Deutches Derby in a year when the German fillies outclassed the colts. Aster (1939) by Oleander, the dam of Asterblute, was inbred 3x3 to the German foundation sire Dark Ronald. Aster was a stakes winner, and in the breeding shed produced Ama (1951) by Magnat who was the dam of Amelia (1960) by Sayajirao, who in turn was the dam of the stakes winner Arietta (1969) by Masetto, who proved to be a strong influence toward stamina in German breeding.

Aster was inbred 4x4 to the mare Morganette and 4x 6 to the mare Orsova. Morganette was the dam of Ard Patrick, Galteemore, Blair Finde and Temple Hill. She is the only mare to have bred three Derby winners (two Epsom, one Irish).

Orsova was the dam of Austria, one of the great foundation mares in Germany. She was the dam of Danuba who was the dam of Weiner Madell by William The Third, who in turn produced the influential German sire Wallenstein. Another daughter of Orsova, Orseis, was the dam of Deutches Derby winner Orchidee II, who was the dam of Oleander, considered one of the best horses ever to race in Germany and was leading sire in 1941,42 and 1943. He died in 1947.

Aster's dam Arkebuse (1930) by the Dark Ronald son Wallenstein was unraced, and produced one other winner in addition to Aster. The next dam, Arabis (1915) by Ard Patrick ex Ibedem (1903) by Little Duck, was a stakes winner and the dam of 13 foals, 11 raced with 10 winners of 85 races, including German Champion Alba, a full brother to Arkebuse. Alba, who won the Deutches Derby and was undefeated, broke a leg while training for the Deutches St Leger, and was put down. He is considered one of the "Greats" in German racing.

Ibedem was a stakes winner and the dam of stakes winners Arabis (above), Ariel (Deutches Derby and sire), Isolde (dam of stakes winner Impressionist), and the stakes placed Irish Gal (dam of stakes winner Indigo).

This is one of the most remarkable female families that it has been my pleasure to research. No wonder Galileo showed so well at Epsom (not to take anything away from Sadler's Wells). This is Family #9.