THE best stallions – and even some whose overall record is disappointing – often come up with at least one or two Group 1 classic stars, but the odds of any mare doing the same range from an outside chance to lottery-winning figures.
However, it’s not as rare a feat as you might think; there are plenty of examples to choose from.
Korveya (by Riverman) supplied the Poule d’Essai des Poulains winners Hector Protector (by Woodman) and Shanghai (by Procida) plus 1000 Guineas heroine Bosra Sham (by Woodman), and Miesque (by Nureyev), herself a classic and Breeders’ Cup heroine, gave us Kingmambo (by Mr Prospector; Poule d’Essai des Poulains) and East Of The Moon (by Private Account; Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, Prix de Diane).
Sheer Audacity (by Troy) is responsible for Derby hero Oath (by Fairy King) and his Premio Parioli-winning half-brother Pelder (by Be My Guest), Soul Dream (by Alleged) gave us the Prix du Jockey Club-winning pair Sulamani (by Hernando) and Dream Well (by Sadler’s Wells) – the latter also an Irish Derby scorer – and Laramie (by Gulch) also achieved fame in France thanks to the success of her son Lawman (by Invincible Spirit) and daughter Latice (by Inchinor) in the Prix du Jockey Club and Prix de Diane respectively.
Better Than Honour (by Deputy Minister) and My Charmer (by Poker) and two US-based examples. The first-named is the dam of the Belmont Stakes stars Jazil (by Seeking The Gold) and Rags To Riches (by A.P. Indy), and the latter’s Seattle Slew (by Bold Reasoning) swept the US Triple Crown six years before Lomond (by Northern Dancer) won the 2000 Guineas.
Those from whom we could choose in Germany include Sacarina (by Old Vic) – dam of the full-siblings Samum (by Monsun; Deutsches Derby), Schiaparelli (Deutsches Derby) and Salve Regina (Preis der Diana) – Night Petticoat (by Petoski) – dam of Next Desert (by Desert Style; Deutsches Derby) and Next Gina (by Perugino; Preis der Diana) – and Wellenspiel (by Sternkonig), whose sons Windstoss (by Shirocco) and Weltstar (by Soldier Hollow) are the Deutsches Derby heroes of 2017 and 2018 respectively.
But for a closer look, let’s take 10 mares who completed their double in British and/or Irish classics in the past 50 years, a cut-off point that Libra (by Hyperion) just misses, her sons Ribero (by Ribot) and Ribocco (by Ribot) having won the Irish Derby in 1968 and 1967 respectively – the latter also landed the St Leger at Doncaster.
Brocade
b.1981 - Habitat - Canton Silk, by Runnymede
Group 1 Prix de la Foret winner Brocade, a half-sister to a multiple stakes winner, got the pattern winners Free At Last (by Shirley Heights) and Zabar (by Dancing Brave) as her first two foals but it was her fourth one who gave her a first classic success.
Barathea (by Sadler’s Wells), runner-up at Newmarket, won the Irish 2000 Guineas in 1993. He went on to add the Queen Anne Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Mile, earned a Cartier Award and had a successful career at Rathbarry Stud. His 81 stakes winners include Magical Romance, Tante Rose, Tobougg, and three other top-level scorers, and those produced from his daughters include Poule d’Essai des Pouliches winner Tie Black (by Machiavellian) and the Dubawi-sired Group 1 stars Arabian Queen, Hunter’s Light and Monterosso.
His Group 1 Fillies’ Mile-winning full-sister Gossamer, also bred by Gerald Leigh and trained by Luca Cumani, added an easy Irish 1000 Guineas victory in 2002. The Group 1 Racing Post Trophy scorer Ibn Khaldun (by Dubai Destination) was her best son.
Coral Dance (FR)
b.1978 - Green Dancer - Carvinia, by Diatome
Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac runner-up Coral Dance – who was out of a half-sister to the classic-placed Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Carvin (by Marino) – struck early with four-time US Grade 1-winning son Nasr El Arab (by Al Nasr), who won at Group 2 level in France before crossing the Atlantic.
Several years later, Pennekamp (by Bering) extended his unbeaten record to six with defeat of Celtic Swing in a much-anticipated match in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, his third win at the highest level. He was an unplaced favourite in the Derby on his only subsequent outing and went on to a dual-purpose stud career that had few highlights (e.g. Triumph Hurdle winner Penzance).
Those by his half-brother Black Minnaloushe (by Storm Cat) – who beat Mozart in the Irish 2000 Guineas of 2001 – include Breeders’ Cup Sprint scorer Dancing In Silks and additional Grade 1 winners Black Mamba, Jokers Wild and Louis The King.
Doff The Derby (USA)
b.1981 - Master Derby - Margarethen, by Tulyar
An injury as a foal kept Doff The Derby off the track. The daughter of the high-class Margarethen was related to the standout performers Trillion and Triptych, and the smart Windy Triple K (by Jaklin Klugman) and Wedding Bouquet (by Kings Lake) were early offspring.
Then came Generous (by Caerleon), the shock Dewhurst Stakes winner who ran away with the Derby, Irish Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 1991, earning a Timeform rating of 139. In common with others by his sire, he was a disappointing stallion, despite getting German Group 1 winners Catella and Mystic Lips (Preis der Diana) and the Group 2 scorers Bahr (dual classic-placed, dam of Benbatl’s Group 1-winning dam Nahrain), Blueprint, Lisieux Rose and Radevore.
Osumi Tycoon (by Last Tycoon) was a talented miler in Japan, stakes winner Strawberry Roan (by Sadler’s Wells) was runner-up in the Irish 1000 Guineas and that one’s full-sister Imagine (dam of ill-fated Group 1 scorer Horatio Nelson, by Danehill) won both the Oaks and Irish 1000 Guineas in 2001.
Glass Slipper
b/br.1969 - Relko - Crystal Palace, by Solar Slipper
Jim Joel’s homebred Glass Slipper was runner-up in the Musidora Stakes and her success at stud was hardly a surprise.
A half-sister to the brilliant Royal Palace (by Ballymoss), she was out of a Falmouth and Nassau Stakes winner whose talented dam, Queen Of Light (by Borealis), was also responsible for Dewhurst Stakes scorer Ancient Lights (by Supreme Court) and the dams of juvenile star Crocket (by King Of The Tudors) and champion Welsh Pageant (by Tudor Melody). Third dam Picture Play (by Donatello) won the 1000 Guineas in 1944.
Light Cavalry (by Brigadier Gerard) gave Glass Slipper her first classic winner when landing the St Leger at Doncaster in 1980 and Fairy Footsteps (by Mill Reef) made it two when taking the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket the following spring.
That filly’s grandson Desert Prince (by Green Desert) won the Irish 2000 Guineas, Prix du Moulin and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes 17 years later.
Irish Bird (USA)
b/br.1970 - Sea Bird II - Irish Lass, by Sayajirao
Irish Bird won once but the half-sister to Irish Ball (by Baldric) – who won the Irish Derby in 1971 – and influential broodmare Mill Princess (by Mill Reef) produced three classic stars.
Bikala (by Kalamoun) and Assert (by Be My Guest) won the Prix du Jockey Club in 1981 and 1982 respectively, the latter then running away with the Irish Derby at the Curragh. Five years later, their half-sister Eurobird (by Ela-Mana-Mou) won the Irish St Leger at the same venue.
Bikala’s record was unremarkable despite siring Prix du Jockey Club winner Polytain and multiple Group 1 star Apple Tree. Assert’s classic winner was All My Dreams (Deutsches Derby), his Group 1 scorer Dancehall was runner-up in the Prix du Jockey Club, he had a few US Grade 1 winners, and his stakes-winning son Zaffaran became a leading National Hunt Sire (Looks Like Trouble, Beau, etc).
Eurobird’s daughter Eurostorm (by Storm Bird) was a blacktype winner and her grandson Pounced (by Rahy) won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
Lagrion (USA)
ch.1989 - Diesis - Wrap It Up, by Mount Hagen
Although a full-sister to the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes runner-up Pure Genius, Lagrion failed to win in 14 starts.
She is out of a half-sister to the pattern winner Gift Wrapped (by Wolver Hollow) – who is the dam of Group 2 scorer Reach (by Kris) and Group 1 Oaks d’Italia runner-up Wrapping (by Kris; dam of Group 2 winner Papering, by Shaadi) – and related to plenty of other blacktype horses, but she has surpassed all of their achievements at stud.
The undefeated juvenile champion Queen’s Logic (by Grand Lodge) was her first Group 1 star but then Dylan Thomas (by Danehill) won the 2006 Irish Derby and Homecoming Queen (by Holy Roman Emperor) ran away with 2012’s 1000 Guineas.
Queen’s Logic is responsible for Group 2 winner and blacktype producer Lady Of The Desert (by Rahy), Homecoming Queen is the dam of two blacktype earners and has a juvenile filly named Shale (by Galileo), whereas six-time Group 1 ace Dylan Thomas – an Arc and dual Irish Champion Stakes star – is an established sire of Group 1 and classic horses, now serving a dual-purpose role.
Lagrion’s offspring also include the Oaks-placed Remember When (by Danehill Dancer), the dam of three pattern winners and a listed scorer from her first four foals.
Set Free
b.1964 - Worden - Emancipation, by Le Sage
Set Free was a half-sister to the Guineas- and Oaks-placed Nassau Stakes winner Spree (by Rockefella) and out of a half-sister to the talented juveniles Be Careful (by My Babu) and Liberal Lady (by Abernant).
She achieved celebrity status by producing three British classic winners for Fonthill Stud, her fourth-, seventh- and eighth-born among a rarely seen total of 18 foals.
Juliette Marny (by Blakeney) won both the Oaks and Irish Oaks in 1975, Group 1-placed juvenile Julio Marnier (by Blakeney) went on to take the St Leger in 1978 and then Scintillate (by Sparkler) landed the Oaks the following summer.
Julio Mariner was only moderately successful at stud and Scintillate became the dam of Alshinfarah (by Great Nephew) – a juvenile Group 2 scorer in Germany who later won at pattern level in Australia – but Juliette Marny has some notable descendants.
Her daughters Jolly Bay (by Mill Reef) and July Girl (by Rousillon) and son Jaunty Jack (by Midyan) were stakes winners, grandson Nicobar (by Indian Ridge) is the Group 2-winning sire of Group 1 Melbourne Cup hero Dunaden, and her son North Briton (by Northfields) is the teaser who sired the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes runner-up Call To Arms.
Urban Sea (USA)
ch.1989 - Miswaki - Allegretta, by Lombard
Few mares have made an impact quite like that of Urban Sea and she will be remembered long after we’re all dead and gone.
She was a surprise winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in 1993 and her first two foals had talent. Urban Ocean (by Bering) won the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes and Melikah (by Lammtarra) was a dual Oaks-placed stakes winner.
However, her third foal was the dual Derby hero and phenomenal stallion Galileo (by Sadler’s Wells).
Group 1 star and successful dual-purpose sire Black Sam Bellamy (by Sadler’s Wells) was number four, and then came the Oaks-placed pattern winner All Too Beautiful (by Sadler’s Wells), US Grade 1 star My Typhoon (by Giant’s Causeway), pattern-placed Cherry Hinton (by Green Desert), the Timeform 140-rated Guineas, Derby, Arc hero and major sire Sea The Stars (by Cape Cross) and listed scorer and Irish Derby runner-up Born To Sea (by Invincible Spirit), foaled shortly before her death in 2009.
Urban Sea’s descendants have been dominating the classic scene and her influence has not been confined to her sons and their emerging lines. Melikah’s great-grandson Masar (by New Approach; Derby) and Cherry Hinton’s daughter Bracelet (by Montjeu; Irish Oaks) are shining examples.
Urban Sea was a half-sister to the Guineas winner and classic sire King’s Best (by Kingmambo), a three-parts sister to German champion sire Tertullian (by Miswaki) and also related to the Group 1-winning classic sires Tamayuz (by Nayef) and Adlerflug (by In The Wings).
Windmill Girl
b.1961 - Hornbeam - Chorus Beauty, by Chanteur
Dual Oaks-placed Ribblesdale Stakes winner Windmill Girl – whose third dam, Springtime (by Apelle), was a half-sister to 1939’s Guineas and Derby hero Blue Peter (by Fairway) – got a first classic winner 51 years ago but completed her double four years later, and both sons won the Derby at Epsom.
Remarkably, Arthur Budgett – who bought her as a foal – not only bred and owned the pair but also trained them.
Blakeney (by Hethersett) was her first foal. He was also fourth in the Irish Derby and a runner-up in the Gold Cup and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes before going on to sire the classic winners Juliette Marny, Julio Mariner, Mountain Lodge and Tyrnavos, plus the Oaks- and St Leger-placed Yorkshire Oaks heroine Roseate Tern, among others of note.
The Derby was Morston’s (by Ragusa) second and final start, he got the top-level-winning fillies Charming Mary (Argentina) and Oraston (Italy) plus the capable Morcon, More Light, Mr Fluorocarbon and Whitstead, but was a disappointing sire overall.
Windmill Girl was also the dam of listed scorers Alderney (by Alcide) and Mendham (by Relko), but what might she have achieved had she not died due to an accident at the age of 11?
You’resothrilling (USA)
br.2005 - Storm Cat - Mariah’s Storm, by Rahy
It was odds-on that a juvenile Group 2-winning full-sister to the prolific Group 1 star and multiple US champion sire Giant’s Causeway would be successful at stud.
Her brother Freud is a multiple Grade 1 sire, her sister Pearling is the dam of multiple Group 1 star Decorated Knight (by Galileo; yearlings in 2020), her half-sister Love Me Only (by Sadler’s Wells) has the dual Derby-placed Group 2 winner Storm The Stars (by Sea The Stars), and her dam was a Grade 2 winner in the USA – it’s a top family.
All of her offspring are by Galileo (by Sadler’s Wells) and it’s impressive what she has achieved so far.
Marvellous won the Irish 1000 Guineas in 2014 and is the dam of the Group 2-placed stakes winner Fort Myers (by War Front). Gleneagles won the Group 1 National Stakes that same year, completed the Guineas double the following spring and added the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes before going on to become one of 2019’s top freshman sires.
Coolmore is a Grade 1-placed pattern winner, Taj Mahal was Grade 1-placed in the USA and a dual Group 2 scorer in Australia before going to stud in France this year, and Happily, a dual Group 1 star at two, was placed in two mile classics in 2019.
Those are her first five foals!
Number six is the Dundalk maiden winner Vatican City, his juvenile sister has been named Madonna, and the mare had another filly on April 27th last year.